After the Heartbreak
by Boo112
Summary: Chapter 19 Is Up! - How do Carla and Peter cope after the trial? And what troubles face them now aswell as in the future?
1. Chapter 1

_**Hello Everyone! This is my first Corrie Fic, so I hope you enjoy it!**_

_**Set after the trial, that evening. So Frank is still alive. **_

_**Chapter One. **_

_**Carla and Peter finally get some time to themselves and chat about Leanne, Simon, and all sorts of other issues that they now have to face. **_

Peter followed Carla into her flat having just returned from the trial.

"Evil! Pure flamin' EVIL!" Peter shouted as he sat down on the sofa with a zebra printed blanket covering it. He was physically shaking he was so angry.

"Oh." Carla sighed. "Peter calm down will ya?" She asked, softly and tearfully, as she sat next to him, attempting to cradle her lover, but he shrugged her off in pure frustration.

"Peter please!" She cried as she struggled against his brute strength and eventually won the battle, hugging him tightly as she tried to stop him from shaking.

"I'm sorry…..I'm sorry baby, I just can't believe that he's been set free without so much as a warning!" Peter said, slightly calmer now, but still physically shaking.

"Heyyy, I know you're angry, I am too, but we just have to accept the fact that the Jury just didn't believe us. If I'm honest the affair didn't help us darlin'." Carla said calmly but truthfully.

"No. The affair wasn't the problem, it was Frank and Anne, and their scheming little plans to show us up that didn't help!" Peter ranted. "I mean, how could he do that to her? To Leanne of all people? Leanne's the innocent one in all of this. She hasn't done so much as hurt a fly yet she gets all this piled onto her. She doesn't deserve this Carla. Lee…..she's a good person…..she's….." Peter felt tears forming in his eyes as he paused. "She's amazing….." And it was at that moment that Peter couldn't take it anymore, he burst into tears and painfully cried his heart out. Carla held him closely as she tried to comfort him, and took the opportunity to think for a second.

"You still love her don't you?" Carla asked, keeping calm. She wouldn't blame Peter if he _**did **_still love Leanne. She had been the one who had been through everything with him. The drinking, the tram crash…..Leanne had pulled Peter through all of that mess, and Carla had to be grateful to her for that.

"Love's not the right word….." Peter trailed-off, trying to sniffle-in some of the tears.

"Well if you don't love her Peter then why are you getting so upset about everything?" Carla questioned.

"I still care about her ya know?" Peter reasoned.

"Oh of-course ya do darlin'." Carla responded, kissing the side of Peter's head as she did so.

Eventually, Peter drifted-off to sleep, giving Carla some time to think about the day that had just passed. She had just wrecked Peter's life, and Simon's, and Leanne's. The amount of guilt Carla was feeling at the moment wasn't healthy for her. She sat on the sofa, with Peter's head resting on her chest. She held him closely, gently stroking through his short but soft hair as he murmured uncomfortably in his sleep.

"It's okay baby." She whispered into his ear. "Everything's gonna be fine." She continued. Carla wished she could believe those words. Part of her felt that it should've been Peter comforting her and not vice-versa, but there was something that Carla found relaxing about comforting Peter. It was like comforting him, helped her to comfort herself.

"I love you…..ya know?" She said, placing a soft kiss into his hair, still gently stroking his head with her hand.

An hour had passed and Peter was just beginning to stir from his sleep, Carla was still sat with him, cradling his top-half as if he were a baby. Carla smiled sweetly as she watched her lover's eyes slowly open.

"Heyyy Lovely Man." She greeted him gently, kissing the side of his head again as his blurry vision cleared, and then focussed on Carla's face, particularly, her sweet smile.

"Hey You….." He said tiredly as he pulled himself away from Carla's grip, and she released him, allowing him to stretch in-order to wake-himself-up. "Listen, I'm sorry about earlier love….." He said as he woke-up. "You've just been through a rape trial, and all I did was cry over my ex-wife! When the only thing that should've been in my head…..Was you. I should've been comforting you not putting more pressure on you." Peter told her, feeling bad that he had been so selfish towards Carla.

"Peter, I don't just expect you to stop caring for Leanne just like that ya know? She was the love of your life until you met-me…..She's the perfect second-mother to little Simon, and she's helped you through everything. So don't feel bad about crying. It's okay to cry darlin'. I'd rather I was sat-up with you all night whilst you cry, then worry about what state you might be in when you get home if you were drunk….." Carla comforted Peter; she didn't want him to feel-bad just for caring.

"I suppose you're right, but how are you anyway?" Peter asked as he placed his hand onto Carla's knee.

"Oh. Me? Yeah I'm fine….." She trailed-off quietly.

"Carla. I don't believe that for one-second! Now come-on, tell me how you're really feeling….." He trailed-off, the question now becoming a command.

"It's gonna take time to get used to this Peter, I don't know what Frank's plans are, but even if he were to go, I'll still have Simon to get used to, and then there's Stella and all of Leanne's friends. They're all gonna hate-me."

"Don't say that. Why would they hate you?" Peter questioned cuddling-up to Carla.

"Because I tore Leanne's life apart, the heartless home-wrecker, remember? I've taken Simon's Mum away, Stella's daughter away, you're wife, the settled family home that you've longed to have for years and years…..It's all gone Peter…..And they're gonna hate-me for it!" Carla revealed to Peter, truthfully but tearfully.

"But Carla, there is always gonna be one-person there who will never hate you? Never ever!" Peter told-her.

"Oh is there really?" Who's that, Father Christmas, the Easter Bunny? Sorry Darlin' but I think you're wrong there….." Carla said as she tried to hold-back the tears.

"Carla love…..I meant Me. I love you Carla. I always have and I _**always **_will. The odd gossip or argument with someone on the street isn't gonna change that." Peter told-her sweetly.

A couple of tears fell from Carla's eyes as Peter spoke. "I love you too Peter." She told-him in tears as the couple hugged and then kissed each-other on the lips. "I love you too." She repeated in a whisper before the pair-kissed-passionately.


	2. Chapter 2

That night the couple barely slept, Peter because of his desperate but growing urge to have a drink under all this pressure, and Carla because of the rape trial and everything that had happened because of it. On one side, there was the fact that she had won the love of her life back. Carla hadn't loved anyone properly like this since Liam had died. But Peter was different; he was kind and caring, let alone being completely and utterly gorgeous. But on the other-hand, Frank was on the loose, and she had just wrecked Peter's life, not to mention everything that came with Peter. Simon, Ken, Deidre, but most of all Leanne, and there was no doubt that Tracy would be after a cat-fight or three.

Peter awoke first out of the two of them, his Father and Deidre had been looking after Simon last-night so he didn't have to worry about that little fella. Instead, Peter could concentrate on Carla, and what she needed, which right now was the most important thing in the world to Peter.

Peter made his way to the kitchen and put some toast on for Carla, then headed to the fridge to find the butter. Peter felt a pair of hands slowly move around his waist. There was only woman that Peter knew who had the touch of an angel, and that was Carla. Eventually, Carla's hands reached the front of Peter's stomach and joined together, as she rested her head on his back. "Morning Darling." She greeted Peter, quietly and tiredly. Peter turned around at the sound of her voice and instantly gave her a peck on the cheek.

"Good Morning. I was just making you some toast." Peter told Carla.

"Oh Peter you didn't have to do that." Carla told him thankfully.

"I know that love, but I thought you deserved a lie-in after yesterday." Peter told her softly, swiping a strand of hair out of her face and putting it behind her ear.

"Mmm, you're such an amazing boyfriend." Carla said as she rested her head against Peter's chest, she suddenly felt like a 16 Year-Old girl in love all over again.

"Did you get much sleep last night love?" Peter asked tenderly.

"No, not much at all. All I could think about was that…..Monster, being set-free." Carla revealed. Peter felt Carla's whole-body tense-up as she said the word 'Monster.'

"Heyyy he can't come anywhere near you love." Peter re-assured her.

"Uhhh yes he can Peter. He's a free and supposedly innocent man. Frank can do what he likes and he will do what he wants as he has proved in…..past-experiences….." Carla told Peter shakily.

"It'll be alright love. He won't hurt you again. I won't let him." Peter told Carla as the pair of them hugged whilst she cried her eyes out. It seemed like they were taking-it in turns nowadays.

Later on that morning, Carla met Michelle in Roys to have a chat with her best-friend/sister-in-law.

"Hiya!" Michelle said, her jolly old-self this morning.

"Alright there love?" Carla asked, playing it cool as always.

"Yeah. Of-Course I am…..you?"

"Ahhh what do you think? The man who raped me is walking free….." Carla paused as she looked down, she was here to catch-up with her best-friend/sister-in-law, not to moan at her and make her feel depressed. "Anyway, that's enough about my miserable life. Fancy a coffee?" Carla asked with a put-on smile, not that she could convince Michelle that she was truly happy.

"In a bit, I want to know how you really are first?" Michelle asked, concerned for her friend. "How're things with Peter?" She questioned Carla.

"Ah Peter's been great…..Simon hates me, and I've just taken Peter away from the love of his life…..Yet he's still there for me…..Honestly 'Chelle I don't know how he does it. All of this time I've just been thinking about myself and the trial…..I haven't even given a thought to how Peter might be feeling….."

"Hey, he chose you remember." Michelle reminded her, moving her hand across the table to meet with Carla, she then placed her hand on-top of Carla's hand. "You didn't force him to leave Leanne…..Yeah you gave it a good-shot, but in the end it was Peter's choice. Besides, I should know what it's like fighting against Leanne….." Michelle trailed-off.

"Oh? Why's that then?" Carla asked.

"Well I've been there haven't I?" Michelle replied.

Carla smirked. "What? You dated Peter?" She asked cheekily, trying not to laugh.

"Yeah we tried things out, but the minute Leanne returned there was no-way I was gonna last that long….."

"Oh great so I'm just a five minute wonder am I?" Carla asked, the humour immediately disappearing. "Maybe I didn't know Peter aswell as I thought….."

"NO. Carla, I didn't mean it like that…..The difference between Me and Peter, and you and Peter, is that you're the one Peter loves. Him and Leanne have been over since she went-off with Nick…..Peter just hadn't realised it…..but now he has, and he's gonna be with you for a very long-time." Michelle tried to re-assure her friend that her being with Peter wasn't just going to be a short-term thing.

Back at the Bookies, Peter was desperate for a drink, Simon had been sent home from school for bad-behaviour, so he was upstairs in the flat having a strop, and everyone just seemed to be on Peter's case today.

Stella wandered-into the bookies, more to have a go at Peter than to place a bet, but that was just the way Stella was, family came first, and Leanne came before anyone right-now. She had only just managed to re-kindle their Mother-Daughter Relationship, if she didn't stick-up for her now, then she would risk loosing Leanne forever.

"So, regretting leaving Leanne yet?" Stella asked harshly. "I mean I wouldn't blame ya if ya did regret it…..That Carla…..She's a pain in the neck ain't she?" She teased in a mean way.

"Oh just leave me alone will you Stella. I can't deal with this…..Not today!" Peter shouted-back at Stella.

"Oh, I should leave YOU alone should I? Well maybe YOU should leave Carla alone first, and then…..and ONLY then, I might just consider it…..After I've rubbed-it in your face that is, that you've made a MASSIVE mistake! Peter, I don't know if you've realised, but no-one messes with Leanne, and more importantly…..NO-ONE messes with me. So I suggest you stay well clear of the Rovers, because I can't be held responsible for my actions, if you do so much as step-inside the door!" Stella warned Peter, before she scowled at him then walked-out of the Bookies.

Peter took three deep-breaths in trying to calm-himself-down, but he failed the task miserably and ended-up punching the filing-cabinet behind him, causing his knuckles to bleed. "OW!" Peter shouted, before he decided immediately to close the bookies and headed-upstairs to the flat.

He headed into Simon's room. "Si, are you alright in here pal?" Peter asked his son, trying to appear calm and relaxed as he peered his head around the bedroom-door.

"I'm. Fine." Simon replied in a strop as he sat playing on his X-Box.

"Great." He replied, trying not to be angry with his son, this mess wasn't his fault.

Peter then headed towards the kitchen and frantically searched for a bottle. He didn't care what bottle, just as-long as it had booze in it. He eventually found the bottle and practically drowned himself with it as half the bottle disappeared. Peter forced himself not to down the whole-bottle-in-one as he yanked it away from his mouth.

"Peter." Carla called from downstairs. The voice of his lover made him jump and he dropped the bottle to the ground as it smashed into smithereens, the remainders of alcohol left in the bottle spilling across the floor, as the sound of keys rustling against the door caught Peter's ears.

Peter crouched-down, trying to pick-up the broken-glass as Carla walked-through the door. "Peter, how come the Bookies is closed?" Carla, asked, before she saw the glass everywhere, and Peter trying to pick-it up.

"Oh Peter don't do that, you'll cut yourself." Carla paused as Peter looked-up with her a guilty look on his face, she hadn't realised that the drink on the floor was in fact alcohol.

"Peter you look terrified. What's wrong?" Carla asked, but Peter didn't reply, he just stood-up, and stared blankly into the distance.

"Darlin'?" Carla asked worriedly as she stood-up behind Peter, before walking around him and placing herself directly infront of him. She took Peter's hands, feeling the blood on the right one and worrying.

"Peter what've you done? Why's ya hand bleeding?" Carla asked, almost in tears now.

"Stella came into the bookies, dug-into-me about Leanne, and about how I'll regret leaving her for you. I got frustrated and punched the filing-cabinet, then I came-up here and….." Peter stopped in his tracks, not wanting Carla to know the rest of the story, but she would soon find-out.

"Oh Peter darlin' come-here." She said as she pulled-him in for a hug, gently stroking the back of his head as they were locked in their comforting embrace.

"I've had a drink Carla….." Peter said shakily.

Carla's heart-broke as Peter told-her those terrible-words. "Oh sweetheart." Carla whispered as she hugged-him closer.


	3. Chapter 3

Carla called Michelle having decided to spend the rest of the day with Peter and Simon. Simon still hadn't warmed to her and he still missed Leanne, but hopefully some close family time would help their friendship, and also help to sort Peter's mind out.

Carla sat on the sofa in Peter's flat, cradling his top-half like a baby as Simon continued to play in his room. "Everything's gonna be alright ya know?" She re-assured Peter as she rocked him back and forth.

"How? How is it gonna be alright? Leanne hates me, I'm back on the booze, and Simon would rather be with Leanne that his own biological Dad!" Peter cried. "I've never needed a drink more than I do now Carla….."

"And I've never needed you more than I do now Darlin'…..Which is why we've gotta get you off the booze and back on the wagon." Carla told him softly, she usually battled against Peter's pool of self-pity but she just didn't have it in her to fall-out with him today.

The pair sat in silence for a couple of seconds, and there was something calm and peaceful about it being silent, rather than it feeling quite awkward for them both. Carla gently kissed the top of Peter's head as she tried to comfort. There was still a part of her that just wanted to be held rather than be the holder herself, but she would do anything for Peter, she had spent so long trying to win him over, and now she had succeeded in that task, she was never going to let him go without putting-up a decent fight for him first of all.

The silence was soon interrupted by Simon running out of his room. "Daddy, can I go to Leanne's for tea?" The little-boy begged.

Carla released Peter from her grip as he sat-up and then sniffled-in a few tears. "Uh, no mate not today, it's about time you spent some time with your Daddy and Carla don't ya think?" Peter suggested calmly, he didn't want to argue with his son today, he had-had enough of the hatred in this disturbed family, all he wanted was for everyone to get-along and be happy-again.

"But Dad! Leanne said I could see her whenever I wanted to!" Simon argued-back as the little-boy's tantrum began. Simon wanted his own-way and as far as he was concerned, he was going to get-it, but Peter had other-ideas.

"Yeah, but just not today okay mate?" Peter said, beginning to loose his temper with the stubborn little-lad but managing to remain calm with him for-now.

"Your Dad just wants to spend some time with ya Simon, and so do I, it's about-time I got to know you a bit better. We had a bit of a rough-start but I'm sure that we could be the best of mates someday ya know….." Carla added-in, trying to help Peter-out and reason with Simon a bit.

"We'll never be best-mates, I hate you and I hate my Dad. The only person I love is Leanne, and you won't let me see her!" Simon shouted in tears of anger and pure frustration.

"SI! Don't say that!" Peter butted-in, heart-broken that Simon seemed to be growing in hate for him rather than love.

"It's the truth Dad! You're horrible to me and you're horrible to Leanne. All I want is my Mummy!" Simon cried.

"Yeah? Well all I want is for my son and girlfriend to get-along!" Peter shouted as he stood-up, he had-had enough of these selfish-tantrums now. "Is that too much to ask?" He continued, tears streaming from his eyes.

"Yeah well I hate Carla, and I HATE YOU!" Simon screamed as he began to run-off towards the front-door, he paused as he opened the door.

Peter lunged towards his son to grab-him, but Carla stopped-him in his tracks, grabbing the back of Peter's shirt and pulling-him backwards. "Peter! You're gonna scare-him away at this rate!" Carla warned Peter firmly.

"It's too late for that!" Simon said in tears, before he ran-off down the stairs and out of the front-door.

"SI!" Peter cried as he collapsed onto the floor in floods of tears.

* * *

><p>Simon ran straight to the pub, as expected. He wanted his Mother, and that's exactly who he was going to get. Pushing the doors of the Rovers Return open, Simon ran-in, looking for Leanne, but unable to find-her. He crashed-into the arms of Stella, who picked-up the crying child and hugged-him.<p>

"Simon? What are you doing in here? Where's ya Dad?" Stella asked, but Simon refused to answer her question.

"Where's Leanne?" He cried.

"She's out the back sweetheart, do you want to go and see her?" She questioned-him.

"Yes Please." Simon said, trying to get-rid of the tears before Leanne saw him.

Stella carried-Simon into the back-room, where Leanne was sat on the sofa watching the TV. She turned round as she caught Simon and Stella in the corner of her eye.

"Si? What are you doing here?" Leanne asked, worried that he seemed to be here alone. "Where's Daddy?" She interrogated as she took Simon off-of Stella and carried-him over to the sofa, where she gently placed him down, and then sat-down next to him.

"Daddy's at home with Carla. I came here by myself because I wanted to see you but Daddy wouldn't let me!" Simon told Leanne truthfully.

"Well…..Why wouldn't he let you come and see me?"

"Because he said he wanted to spend some time with me, and he wanted me to get to know Carla better. She thinks we're gonna be best-friends, but I hate her. You're my best-friend, YOU'RE my Mummy! Not Her!" Simon replied, still slightly-upset, but the tears were drying-up now.

"Well Si, if your Dad wants to spend some-time with you then you should let-him." Leanne told Simon, as-much as she hated Peter right-now, he still had the right to spend some-time with his son whenever he wanted-to. "And as for Carla, well I'm not her biggest-fan either mate, but sometimes you just have to accept these people don't ya?" Leanne told Simon.

Simon folded his arms in annoyance that Leanne was on his Dad's side. "But I wanna spend-time with you!" Simon argued.

"And you can, but your Dad wants you as much as you want me!" Leanne paused. "Listen, let me just ring ya Dad, just so he knows that you're here. He'll be worrying about-ya." Leanne told-Simon before she headed-off to find-her phone.

* * *

><p>Back at Peter's flat, Peter was stressing-out, tipping the house upside-down and inside-out as he desperately searched the place for any-kind-of booze.<p>

"Peter calm-down will ya? Your not gonna find Simon if your drunk are ya?" Carla said, remaining calm for the time-being, but there was only so long left of Carla's patience until she would loose-it with Peter.

"I'm not drunk, and I'm not gonna get drunk, I just want a pint or two! No, I NEED a pint or two!" Peter argued frustratedly, annoyed that he couldn't find himself a drink anywhere in this house.

"No you don't Peter, what you NEED, is to find your son." Carla said, beginning to get slightly annoyed with Peter-now.

"Yeah, well before I find my son, I need a drink!" Peter said, physically shaking as his worry for Simon, and his need for a drink grew.

With that, the phone-rang, and Carla answered-it._"Hello?"_

_"Hiya Carla it's Leanne."_

_"Oh Leanne! What perfect timing you have! What do YOU want?"_

_"Well I'd like a word with Peter if you don't mind?"_

_"Uh…..Now isn't a good-time?" Carla said, desperately trying to make-excuses for Peter._

_"Why not? Is he drunk?" Leanne asked angrily._

_"No he's not drunk. But Simon's gone missing and Peter is desperate for some booze! Alright?"_

_"Oh…..well if you must know Simon's with me and he's told-me everything. How dare Peter try and stop Simon from coming-to-see-me?" Leanne asked furiously, she may have supported Peter infront of Simon, but right-now she was talking to Carla, a whole different-story. "Oh and if he wants a drink, then there's no way that I'm letting-him have Simon back, he's a danger to himself and everyone around him, including you!"_

_"Right, so Simon's at yours. Well I suppose in some-ways that's a good-thing. And you're right, Peter's no use to him at the moment, so you have him for the night and we'll come and collect him tomorrow." Carla finished and then immediately hung-up before Leanne had the chance to argue-back-at-her._

"Simon's at Leanne's." Carla told Peter, who froze his search for the booze as he heard those words.

Peter sighed; the worry had suddenly been taken-away. "Oh thank-goodness he's safe!" Peter said, an obvious sense of relief surrounding his every-word.

"Are you gonna give-up your search for the booze then?" Carla asked, because it's not a good-side to you Peter, what happened to the kind and caring Peter ey?"

"What do you mean? I haven't changed Carla, I'm still me?" Peter asked, confused by Carla's words.

"You tried to grab Simon earlier Darlin', you scared-him, he was in tears when he left. You're just lucky that he went to find Leanne this time-around." Carla paused. "Come-here." She requested, putting her hands onto Peter's shoulders.

"Leanne is gonna have Simon for tonight. Then we'll go and collect-him tomorrow. And we'll make a fresh-start of things. Okay?" Carla told Peter, and Peter nodded, before the couple kissed passionately.

"I'm sorry Carla." Peter blurted-out.

"For what?" She questioned.

"For being so self-centred, you've been through hell recently, and all I could-ever think about was me and my own-problems. And I'm sorry for that, I should-have been there for you, so I apologise." Peter told-her meaningfully.

"Well Mr Barlow….." Carla began, deciding to change the mood to a happy-one in attempt to try and cheer Peter-up a bit. "You can always make-it-up to me can't ya?"

"Oh yeah? How's that then?" Peter asked.

"Well, now we know that Simon is safe at Leanne's for the night we could…..distract you from the booze let's say?" Carla suggested cheekily.

Peter placed his hand onto Carla's cheek and smiled sweetly. "Not tonight love. I just wanna sleep all of this-off. When I'm back-on-track with Simon, and I know that he's gonna want to come home after being with Leanne, then we can start to have a bit of fun…..Is that okay with you?" Peter asked Carla.

"I'd wait a million years for you Peter Barlow." Carla whispered before she gave him a quick peck on the cheek.

* * *

><p><strong><em><span>:). Please-Review! :). <span>_**


	4. Chapter 4

The next morning, Carla and Peter were getting ready to go and collect Simon from Leanne's. Peter was sat at the table in his dressing-gown, eating his breakfast as Carla appeared from the bedroom, having just gotten dressed herself.

"Are you gonna get ready darlin', Simon will be wondering where you've got to?" Carla asked Peter softly as she sat on the sofa opposite him.

"Huh, as if? He hates me." Peter said, having just swallowed the last-mouthful of his breakfast.

"Oh Peter Darlin'…..Simon doesn't hate ya, he was just being a typical little-boy, he wanted his own way, and he didn't get his own way, so he played-up, it's what little-boys do, you should know that better than me. If Michelle got a pound for every time Ryan said that he hated her as a little-boy then she'd be a millionaire!" Carla tried to re-assure Peter as she walked-over to him and crouched-down to his level as he was sat-down.

"Now Mr Barlow, are you gonna get dressed or are you really gonna walk through the pub in your dressing-gown?" Carla asked cheekily, gently stroking Peter's cheek, as she knew that this always brought-him around when he was reluctant to do something.

"Do you mind if you go by yourself love? It's just…..ya know…..Going to the pub…..I just think I might get tempted to…..ya know…..have a drink….."

"Alright, but you're gonna need to ring Leanne and let her know that it's me coming, otherwise she'll be keeping-him another night won't she?" Carla reminded Peter.

"Yeah sure. Listen, thanks for this love, I just don't think it's wise for me to go in there at the moment." Peter revealed to Carla.

"I know darlin', don't you worry about it. I'll drop Simon off at school, then come and see ya in the bookies alright?" Carla asked.

"Yeah okay love. Cya later." Peter said, before he kissed Carla on the lips, then let her get-off towards the Rovers Return.

* * *

><p>Peter waited a couple of minutes, before heading downstairs to open-up the bookies, as he took a step-outside, Peter watched Dev and Sunita walk into the rovers, the smell of alcohol wafted across the street as the couple opened the doors, then let them swing shut, and Peter became tempted to have a drink. But he couldn't drink in the Rovers, everyone knew him there, plus Carla was in there, along with Leanne and Simon.<p>

Peter tried to distract himself from the temptation as he searched through his load of keys for the one that belonged to the Bookies, but as he put the correct he into the key-hole, Peter found that he couldn't help himself anymore. He put his keys away as the Bookies remained locked-up and headed into the Bistro; he just hoped that Nick wasn't in there.

Finding Eva at the bar, Peter was relieved. "Hiya love, can I buy a bottle of whisky please?" Peter asked politely.

"Bit early for partying isn't it?" Eva questioned.

"I'm not buying it for a party love….." Peter trailed-off.

"Oh, well I suppose you can a have a bottle…..Just go easy ey? It's not even 9 o'clock yet mate?" Eva replied worriedly, unaware that Peter was a recovering alcoholic.

"Yeah well do me a favour love and uh…..don't tell Nick that I was in here…..Alright?" Peter told Eva, before he paid her for the bottle of whisky, and then headed out of the Bistro.

He immediately opened-it and took a large-sip as he wandered-down the street...

* * *

><p>Back at the Rovers, Carla was having trouble with Simon.<p>

"I don't wanna go to school with YOU! I told you last-night, I HATE YOU!" Simon screeched.

"But Simon, Daddy wants you home, and you need to go to school. What if Leanne picks you up later-on?" Carla tried to reason with Simon, remaining calm for-now.

"I'm still not going with you; I want Leanne to take-me. I want to live with Leanne forever!" Simon shouted angrily, before cuddling Leanne.

"Carla listen, he obviously doesn't want to come with you, so just leave-him alone alright?" Leanne said, warning Carla away from Simon harshly.

"Fine, you stay here! But Daddy's not gonna be very happy with you is he young man?" Carla said, in a firm but fairly-quiet-voice.

Carla then headed-out to the front of the pub, and decided to have herself a small-glass of wine before going to see Peter. It wasn't as if she was about to drink herself silly, so she didn't see the problem with it. She would just have one-small glass, and then she would head-back.

* * *

><p>Peter had drunk the majority of the whisky bottle by now and was staggering along the street.<p>

"Peter, how good it is to see you again!" Said a smug-voice, approaching Peter from directly in-front of him.

"Get Lost Frank!" Peter drunkenly, instantly recognising him, even in the drunken-state that Peter was in right-now.

"Oh look, the alcoholic is drunk! No Surprises there I guess….." Frank said, purposely ignoring what Peter had said as he tried to wind-him-up even-more than he already-had-done!

"You sh-shouldn't be fr-free! You're a…..a r-rapist!" Peter slurred-out furiously.

"Alright…..Whatever you say…..Drunkard!" Frank said smugly.

"I'M NOT DRUNK!" Peter shouted.

"Ohhhhh, ha ha! You're not drunk, that's a good-one Peter!" Frank joked as he laughed in Peter's face.

"You leave me alone Fffff-Frank!" Peter warned him off, wobbling all over-the-place now as he wavered his bottle of whisky around in Frank's face.

"Oh I couldn't do that Peter you might hurt yourself." Frank replied with a sarcastic-sympathy, continuing to laugh at Peter, and smirked-widely.

"I said, GET LOST!" Peter shouted as he punched Frank.

"Woah! You don't wanna do that mate!" Frank said as he grabbed Peter's arm, the one with the bottle of whisky-in and dis-armed Peter, before he punched him back with full-force, knocking Peter off his feet, and to the ground, in the drunken-state that he was in.

Eventually, Peter passed-out as he lay in the road unconsciously. "Ah-Ha! The drunken-idiot!" Frank said smugly to himself as he kicked Peter in the stomach, then placed the bottle of whisky next to him, before wandering-off, appearing to be a completely-innocent-man.

* * *

><p>Carla had text Michelle from the Rovers, asking her to meet her in there, so that they could walk to work together, Michelle was curious as to why Carla was in the pub so early, but never-the-less, Michelle made her way-over immediately.<p>

As she opened the front-door, Michelle immediately spotted-Peter led in the road.

"Peter?" She asked worriedly.

"Peter?" She repeated, frightened as to what she would as he ran-over to him and crouched-down besides-him.

"Oh My Goodness Peter. What've you done this time?" Michelle said, picking-up the whisky-bottle. She was dreading telling Carla about what had happened. She couldn't cope without Peter.

"HELP!" She called.

Sean & Marcus rushed-out immediately and ran-over.

"Michelle what's happened?" Sean asked.

"I dunno. But can you go and get Carla, she's in the pub, and Marcus, can you call an ambulance, I know he was drunk, but he's bleeding and I'm worried about him!" Michelle ordered Sean and Marcus before she checked Peter's pulse. The pulse was existent.

"Oh thank goodness he's still breathing!" Michelle said in relief.

"Peter? Peter can you hear me?" Michelle said, tapping his cheek in attempt to try and wake-him-up.

* * *

><p>Sean came running into the pub and ran straight-over to Carla.<p>

"Miss Connor! Miss Connor!" He said in a panic.

"What is it Sean?" She asked, the last thing she wanted was to be disturbed by one of her employees right-now.

"I think you better come with me….."

"Sean, I asked ya before, what is it?" Carla asked-again, beginning to get worried-now.

Sean took a deep-breath-in. "It's Peter."

"Ohhh please no….." Carla said sadly as she followed Sean outside, and immediately saw Peter's unconscious body sprawled-out in the middle of the road, with Michelle next to him, and paramedics crowding round-him with oxygen-masks and all sorts of medical-equipment and different-things.

* * *

><p>"Peter! Peter my darlin'!" She said tearfully as she approached Peter, crouching down next to Michelle and hugging her boyfriend gently. "Wake-up for me darlin'!"<p>

"Carla….." Michelle said, trying to pull her-away from him. "Carla come-over-here for a minute, come-on, come-away." Michelle said, taking her hand and pulling her-aside.

"What is it? What do ya want?" Carla asked in a panic.

"I found a whisky-bottle next to Peter….." Michelle said sadly, as she broke the heart-breaking news to Carla.

"But…..the whole reason that he didn't come to the pub with me this morning was because he felt tempted…..He was doing so well…..I should have realised that he was gonna drink when he told-me that this-morning, this is all my fault 'Chelle….." Carla told Michelle as she broke-down in her arms.

"Ohhh…..No it's not babe. Carla this is not your fault. It was Peter's choice as to whether he drunk or not. This is his-own-fault, not-yours. He made the choice to buy the bottle of whisky Carla…..not you." Michelle said as she tried to comfort her best-friend/sister-in-law.

* * *

><p>Carla and Michelle went with Peter in the ambulance to the hospital. It wasn't long until they had arrived, and were sat with Peter in RESUS. The Doctor's had stitched-up Peter's cuts and he was now just coming-round from being unconscious.<p>

"Carla, he's waking-up." Michelle whispered to her crying friend.

"Car…..Carla." Peter said, the oxygen-mask muffling his words.

"Hey Darlin'." She said, as she took Peter's hand, and then kissed the back of it. This place always reminded Carla of two things, The first memory was the tram-crash, when she watched Peter come close to death, and the second was when she had tried to over-dose herself, because the memories of the rape were all getting to much for her. Peter was here then too. And now she was back-here with Peter. At-least he wasn't near-death this time around.

"What are we gonna do with you ey mate?" Michelle joked as Peter tried to sit-up.

"Michelle, do you want-to go and get yourself a coffee or something from the canteen?" Carla suggested, as she handed Michelle a fiver to go and get herself something with.

"Alright, hint-taken. I'll leave you two-alone for a bit. Just give me a shout if you need-me okay?" Michelle said, before leaving the couple alone to chat by themselves.

"Thanks Sweet." Carla said before she turned her attention back to Peter.

"Are you alright?" She asked-him, concerned for her boyfriend, who she loved-so-much, that Carla didn't see how she could live without-him right at this-moment.

"I'm fine." Peter replied, as he moved the oxygen-mask away from his face and allowed-it to rest against his-chest. "But I should be asking how you are? I'm sorry about all of this baby. This is the last-thing you need right-now. Peter told Carla sadly.

"Heyyy don't you worry about-me, just get yourself better ey?" Carla paused, as she prepared herself for the change of topic. "Peter listen to me for a second…..Michelle found ya with a whisky-bottle next to ya...You were drinking-again weren't ya?" Carla asked-him tearfully.

Peter laid back-into his pillow ashamed of himself. "Yeah I was…..I'm sorry. But it wasn't the drink that put me in hospital Carla, I can give you my word." Peter said, slightly breathless, before he took a few more breaths into his oxygen-mask.

"Oh, then what did then?" Carla questioned, not quite believing him just yet.

"It was Frank." Peter revealed.

"Frank?" Carla asked suspiciously.

"Yeah…..We got into a bit of scrap…..I started-it, but then he punched-me-back, and I ended-up on the floor, and he must've kicked-me when I was unconscious or something, because my ribs are killing'-me!" Peter confessed to Carla, tears falling from both of their eyes as Carla suddenly realised that she would never-escape the clutches of Frank as-long as she lived.

"Oh darlin' you poor thing come-here." Carla said as she kissed Peter's forehead, and then hugged-him tightly. Part of her wanted to kill Peter for drinking-again, but that wasn't gonna help-him, and now wasn't the time for any-arguments that needed to be had between the pair of them.

"I love you peter Barlow. And I'm not gonna let Frank hurt-ya ever-again. Okay? Never. Alright? I promise." Carla said as she cried into Peter's shoulder.

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><p><em><strong>:). Please-Review. :). <strong>_


	5. Chapter 5

Peter was kept in hospital for the rest of the day, just for safety, and it also gave the hangover a chance to kick-in then go.

That evening, he was dis-charged, much to the relief of the Nurses, Peter was an awful patient. The couple smiled at each-other as they climbed out of the taxi and back onto the street that they called home together. Coronation Street.

"So a broken rib, a few cuts and bruises and a stinking headache. That Frank Foster's really got it coming to him now." Peter said threateningly as Carla helped him out of the taxi and across the road to their flat, where Ken was looking-after Simon.

"Uh, no he doesn't, not as far as you're concerned anyway, 'cause you need to rest darlin'." Carla said, almost warning him not to go anywhere near Frank, or else there'd be trouble in paradise.

Carla opened the door to their flat and helped Peter up the stairs, where Simon greeted them at the top. "Dad!" He said, seemingly happy to see his Father again as he hugged him tightly.

"Ahhh! Easy Si, you've gotta be gentle with me for the next few days." Peter told Simon, glad that they seemed to be on good-terms with him again. He couldn't be angry with him for running away, after-all it was Peter's fault.

The three of them moved further into the flat, to find Ken sat on the sofa. "Alright you two?" He asked, Ken didn't particularly like Carla, but she seemed to genuinely love Peter, so Ken tried to at-least be civil with her, unlike the rest of the family, and Leanne, who Ken still considered as part of the family, despite everything that had happened.

"Oh we're getting there Ken." Carla replied with a genuine smile.

"Why are YOU still here?" Simon asked Carla rudely before he ran-off into his room.

"Si, don't say that!" Peter called, as Simon ignored his Dad and slammed his bedroom-door shut.

Carla took a deep-breath, trying not to let Simon's rudeness get the better-of her.

"Sorry about that love." Peter said as he sat-down next to his Dad.

"Oh it's fine….." Carla trailed-off, sitting in the arm-chair.

"So are you gonna report Frank to the police then Peter?" Ken asked, changing the subject slightly.

"Oh what's the point Dad? He get's off with everything so why should I go to the police?" Peter asked, angry that the police always seemed to fall for Frank's fake-charm.

"To see that justice has been served Peter!" Ken replied, Carla remained quiet for now.

"Yeah, well justice should've been flamin' well served three days ago, when that thug of a man was set-free of all charges!" Peter said frustratedly as he held his ribs in pain.

"Alright Peter calm-down." Carla butted-in, worried that Peter was going-to do something that he'd regret if he didn't calm-down pretty-soon.

"Yeah, well if you won't listen to me, then listen to your girlfriend. But know that I've said this, you're not to go anywhere near Frank Foster okay? If he approaches you, you walk-away Peter. Because I'm not gonna be the one who picks-up the pieces…..AGAIN, if you get yourself arrested!" Ken warned Peter, before he stood-up and excused-himself.

"Right then, I better get back to Deirdre." Ken said, before he showed-himself-out.

"Who does he think he is? Telling-me what to do like that?" Peter said, fed-up of just about everything to do with life at the minute.

Carla stood-up, and then went to join Peter on the sofa, placing her hand on his nearest-shoulder.

"He's ya Dad, Peter, and maybe you should start listening to him. The man's got a lot of sense. No-one wants to see you banged-up. You're a good-man Peter, don't let Frank Foster change that ey?" Carla told-him softly, before she kissed Peter's shoulder then stood-up and walked towards the kitchen. "Coffee?" She asked.

"Uh, yeah….." Peter replied, grumpy now that even his own-girlfriend had taken his Father's side.

Michelle decided to pop round later that evening to see how Peter was getting-on. The buzzer sounded, which made a sleepy Peter jump a little as he finished-off the remainders of his coffee. Carla went over to the phone. "Hiya, who is it please?" Carla asked.

"It's me 'Chelle." Michelle said happily.

"Oh Hiya Love, come-on-up." Carla told-her before she opened the front-door, and then waited for Michelle to appear.

"Who was that?" Peter asked from the sofa.

"Michelle. She's gonna come-up for a bit alright?" Carla checked with Peter.

"Okay, just don't wake Simon up ey?" He requested, the two girls could get a bit giggly once they got going.

"Of-Course we won't darlin'." Carla told-him as Michelle walked through the door.

"Hiya!" She said happily as Carla greeted her with a kiss on the cheek and a hug.

"Hey!" Carla replied.

"Hi Michelle." Peter said from the sofa.

"Sorry if I interrupted your evening together, but I just thought I'd come and see how Peter was doing?" Michelle asked, sitting down next to him and putting his arm around him. The pair had always been friends, but they had become closer-friends since Peter had been with Carla. And their little fling together was pretty-much forgotten nowadays.

"Oh I'm fine. Just the odd ache and pain." Peter told-Michelle, he was a tough-guy; he didn't like to show his weaknesses-off for the world to see.

"Oh really? Well I don't believe a word of that, but you're looking better than you did earlier, so I guess that's a good thing." Michelle told both Peter and Carla.

"And how are you coping with him?" She asked Carla.

"Oh it's all good, he's been told to rest, which means that he actually has to do what I say for once in his life!" Carla joked, as she moved to go and sit the other-side of Peter.

Michelle laughed. "Uh, like that's gonna happen?" She said, continuing the joke.

"Yeah that's true…..When do I EVER do what you say?" Peter chuckled, trying not to laugh to hard as that hurt-him, and he didn't want Carla to worry about-him.

"Anyway, sorry to have to kick you out m'love but Mr Barlow here needs some sleep!" Carla hinted to Michelle as the two girls both stood-up as Carla showed her towards the door.

"Oh that's alright darlin'! Get well soon Peter!" She called.

"Oh I will, thanks for coming Michelle, and thanks for everything you did earlier, I don't know what kind-of state I'd be in now if it wasn't for you!" Peter said, before Carla showed Michelle out then came and sat next him, placing her hand gently against his cheek.

"Right then, listen you. I've gotta work tomorrow, but that doesn't mean that you can do what ya like. I want ya to rest alright?" Carla told-him gently, but getting the point-across all the same.

"What about Si?" He asked, desperately trying to find a job for him to do.

"I'll sort-him-out; you just leave everything to me okay?" Peter ignored Carla, avoiding making eye-contact with her.

"Okay?" She repeated, trying to get Peter's attention as she pushed his face to face her so that he was forced look at Carla.

"Argh, okay!" Peter said, reluctantly agreeing.

"Good." Carla said with a cheeky smile before she then leaned-in and kissed Peter on the lips.

"Love Youuu!" She said mischievously, knowing that Peter wanted his own-way.


	6. Chapter 6

The next morning, Carla awoke early, knowing that she had to get Simon to school on time. She slowly rose out of her and Peter's bed, she tried not to wake Peter as she did so, knowing that he would insist on helping her-our if he awoke before she left with Simon for the school.

Carla quietly slipped herself into Simon's room and sat on the edge of the bed to try and wake-him-up. "Simon." She whispered, gently shaking-him out of his sleep.

Simon's tired-eyes slowly opened. "Where's Dad?" He asked as he yawned.

"Ya Dad's still asleep sweetheart." She told Simon quietly.

"Well wake-him-up, because I'm not moving until my Dad gets here!" Simon said insistently, before he pulled the covers back over him and attempted to go back to sleep himself.

"Simon. I'm taking ya to school this morning. Your Dad needs to rest." Carla told Simon truthfully. Simon looked at her, curiosity filling his eyes. Why was Carla being so patient with him this morning?

"Look come-on Si, I know you're not my biggest-fan, but we could at-least try and get-along ey? For ya Dad's sake if nothing-else?" Carla whispered, holding her hand out for Simon to take if he chose to.

Simon looked at Carla, and then shifted his eyes to her hand, before taking one-last look at Carla, and then he took her hand. "Okayyy..." Simon said, giving-in because he didn't want to fall-out with his Dad again. Surely Carla couldn't be THAT bad? Simon thought to himself.

"That's a good-boy." Carla said with a genuinely happy-smile, pleased that her and Simon seemed to be making some progress.

Whilst Simon got ready, Carla slipped back into hers and Peter's bedroom, and then gently kissed Peter's cheek, before she left him a note on his bedside table.

'_Simon's been brilliant this morning. Just like his Daddy eh? I love you lots. I'll see ya later. Get some rest and stay out of trouble. Cxxx._

* * *

><p>It wasn't long until Carla and Simon were on their way to the school, hand-in-hand. They passed many of their neighbours from the street on the way there. Some more accepting of Carla than others. But all in all, things were going successfully so far.<p>

"So Simon what are you gonna be doing at school today?" Carla asked the young-lad, trying to make conversation with him.

"Nothing….." He trailed-off; maybe he wasn't ready for this kind-of conversation yet.

"Oh well isn't this brilliant, the proven-liar out with the victim in all of this. Hows Carla been with you today Simon? She hasn't accused you of doing something you didn't do has she?" Said Frank, approaching Carla and Simon, purposely trying to make Carla loose-it with him in-front of Simon.

"Not today Frank. No infact, not ever. Frank." Carla told-him firmly.

"Oh I am sorry Carla, over-step the mark did I? What ya gonna do? Because I'd rather not be punched two-days running, especially not within the same-family, did you hear about your drunken-wreck for a boyfriend?" Frank teased menacingly.

"I'm warning you Frank! Peter had to be rushed to hospital yesterday thanks to you. He's gonna be okay thank-goodness!" Carla shouted at him.

"STOP SHOUTING!" Simon screamed, getting fed-up with Carla already.

"Oh well aren't you just adorable Carla?" Asked a voice from across the road. It was Leanne of-course.

"Oh, what's this? Pick-on Carla, it's free day? Put it on special-offer why don't ya?" Carla asked sarcastically, but angrily all the same.

"LEANNE!" Simon shouted happily, running-over to the lady whom he considered his Mother nowadays.

"Heya Mate? Are you alright?" Leanne asked Simon, pretending to be happy for his sake.

"No I am not! They keep shouting at each-other!" Simon replied.

"Who does?" She asked.

"These two." He added.

"Uh, this has nothing to do with me." Frank said, before he walked-off.

"Look I'm sorry alright Simon, but that man, he wasn't very nice to me." Carla told Simon truthfully, except he was a little-more than not very-nice, he was vicious and controlling.

"Well he's gone now, so can Leanne take-me to school? Pleeaassseee?" Simon begged.

"Well you'll have to check that with Leanne won't ya Si?" Carla told-him, trying her best to be patient and friendly towards her boyfriend's son.

"Don't call-me Si!" Simon told her stroppily before turning towards Leanne. "Pleeeaaassseee Mum?" He begged again.

"Of-Course I will sweetheart!" Leanne accepted the offer; she missed Simon greatly, so any chance to spend any time with him, Leanne would take.

Carla reluctantly agreed to this decision, she'd do anything to get herself into Simon's good-books. She knew she'd never-ever come anywhere close to 'Saint Leanne' but there was no-harm in trying. Was there?

* * *

><p>Back at the flat, Peter had slowly-awoken, and had read Carla's note with a smile on his face, not-knowing what had just happened outside on the street between Carla, Simon, Frank and Leanne.<p>

The trouble-free-bookie got himself dressed as quickly as he could, well, with a broken-rib that is, then sat-down on the sofa. Maybe things weren't gonna be so bad after-all. Things seemed to be on the up for this new-family, and Peter wondered how long it would be until Simon felt comfortable around Carla? Maybe one-day him and Carla would get married, and she would be the perfect-wife, something which, looking-back on the past for a moment, 'Saint Leanne' never was. Yes Leanne was brilliant with Simon and kids in general, but she didn't understand Peter, not like Carla did. Carla knew him inside-out from day-one. She knew everything about-him…..What made him tick? What made him laugh? How to cheer him up after a bad day at work. She knew everything. But the one thing that Carla just got that Leanne never did, was about the drinking. She'd been there, done that, and Peter had supported her all the way through-it, and now Peter felt that Carla was doing a pretty-decent job of paying-him back what she owed-him with the same-amount of support, and Peter was thankful for that.

After thinking for a while, Peter soon got bored, so decided to ring Carla, he knew that if he dared to step-foot out of the house then he would get-himself into trouble with Carla, which was the last-thing that Peter wanted right-now, so ringing her was probably the safest-bet.

_**The Phone Conversation.**_

_**Carla: **Hellooo…_

_**Peter: **Hey, any chance of getting away this lunchtime?_

_**Carla: **Uh I should think so…..Why?_

_**Peter: **I miss you._

_**Carla: **Aww. Well good things come to those who wait Mr Barlow….._

_**Peter: **Yeah well if I have to wait any longer to see you then I might have to get out of my sick-bed. And we wouldn't want that now would we Miss Connor? _

_**Carla: **No we wouldn't. But why should I skive of work just to meet your needs Mister? I mean, what's in it for me eh? _

_**Peter: **An expensive meal of your choice on me, and if your gentle on me, then perhaps a little something extra for afterwards….._

_**Carla: **I was brought-up to call that pudding darlin'….. _

_**Peter: **Oh yeah, well it's called something slightly different in the Barlow household….._

_**Carla: **Dessert? _

_**Peter: **Oh Haa. Haa. Look are you gonna come and see me or not?_

_**Carla: **Uh, what happened to you resting Mister? _

_**Peter: **I have rested…..And now I'm bored, so get-over here right this very-second._

_**Carla: **Oh alright then, I'll be over as soon as I can okay?_

_**Peter: **Alright. But in the meantime, remember that I love you._

_**Carla: **Feelings mutual baby._

Carla then hung-up the phone with a cheeky-grin spread-across her face, maybe she could forget about the little-trouble with Simon earlier, that was only a minor-incident, and Simon was happy in the end, so Carla didn't see any-reason to tell Peter. Part of her wondered whether Leanne would tell-him anyway, just to try and cause trouble for the pair of them, but Carla didn't care if she did, Peter trusted her with Simon and that was all that mattered.

"Uh 'Chelle can I have a word?" Carla asked, leaning against the door-frame of her office as she called to Michelle across the factory-workers.

"Of-Course you can." Michelle said happily before she approached Carla quickly. "What's-Up?" She asked.

"An emergency-meeting has cropped-up, I've gotta-go, I dunno if I'll make it back in today, so are you alright taking-care of the place…..and Frank, whilst I'm away?" Carla asked, feeling slightly bad that she was lying to her best-friend, but it was in her best-interests that she didn't know what Carla was really going to be doing this-afternoon.

"Yeah sure. I'll see ya later alright?" Michelle told Carla.

"Okay then. Cya Sweets." Carla sung as she left the factory.

* * *

><p>It wasn't long until Carla had arrived back-at the flat. "Hiya it's only me." She called as she entered the flat. Peter greeted her with a cuddle and a kiss as Carla gently took hold of his shirt and pulled-him-closer, trying her best not to cause him any-more pain in the process. The pair continued to kiss as Carla carefully moved Peter back onto the sofa, finding herself knelt on the ground, as he lay on his back, and she leaned-over him and kissed him passionately.<p>

After a few minutes of this, Carla broke the kiss and giggled. "So, what's for lunch?" She asked cheekily and the pair of them giggled, causing Peter the smallest amount of pain, but that didn't distract them from their happiness that they found with each-other's company.

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><p><strong><em><span>:). Please-Review. :). <span>_**


	7. Chapter 7

**_Sorry this chapter's so short. But I hope that you enjoy it all the same! :)_**

* * *

><p>Carla and Peter spent the next hour together near-enough, just annoying each-others company, and the fact that they finally had some time alone together with nothing to worry about.<p>

Carla sat cuddled-up next to Peter on the sofa, with her head resting on his shoulder.

"So how was Si this morning? Did you get him to school on time?" Peter asked Carla, a question which she had been dreading all lunchtime.

"Uhhh, I didn't…..But I'm sure St Leanne did….." Carla trailed-off sarcastically, in hind-sight Carla didn't particularly mind Leanne taking Simon to school, it saved her the hassle, but now she was facing the consequences, which would probably result in Peter doing something stupid, and that was never a good-idea as far as a recovering-alcoholic was concerned, and Carla knew that better than anyone.

"What? What do ya mean 'Leanne did?'" Peter asked, and Carla could sense his rising anger.

"Ohhh I bumped into Frank, and we had a bit of a row, then Leanne came-over and of-course Simon wanted his Mum to take-him to school and not his Dad's new bit of stuff, so Leanne ended-up taking-him, but I guess if it made Simon happy, then that's all that matters ey?" Carla said, trying to calm-Peter as much as possible before it became impossible too.

"Hey Love; you're hardly just a bit of stuff to me are ya? I fell in love with ya Carla. No infact, I more than fell in love with ya, I put you before the booze, and that was never the case with Leanne was it? So whether Simon likes it or not, he needs to except that you're the woman I love, and that you're the person who could potentially become his Step-Mother was of these days!" Peter said, slightly frustratedly.

"Step-Mum? That's looking a bit far-ahead isn't it Darlin'? We're about the here and now, and we always have been?" Carla questioned, as much as she loved Peter, and would never-leave-him, she wouldn't even-consider marriage unless she was absolutely, 100% sure that Simon would be okay with it, and at the moment, that just was not the case with the young but troubled-lad.

"Yeah I know we're about the here and now, but we've gotta start looking-ahead at some-point baby. Me and Leanne…..We became stuck in the past, I never really forgave her for cheating on me with Nick, and let's face-it, she never really trusted me with you after she found-out that you had feelings for me….." Peter trailed-off as Carla interrupted him.

"And just look at us now Peter. We're in a strong-relationship together. I don't blame Leanne for being slightly cautious there. People who know me as well as Leanne does, know that when I want something, I tend to get-it. And boy did I want you bad Peter Barlow." Carla giggled cheekily. "I knew I'd get you one-day. And I was prepared to wait a lifetime for ya. Turns-out I didn't need to wait quite that long…..Trust the booze to make you realise that you loved-me and not Leanne after-all ey?" Carla continued to joke, laughing like a child-would as she tried to cheer Peter-up a bit.

Carla could see straight-away that Peter was trying to act-seriously, despite being tempted to smile and/or laugh.

"Carla there's nothing funny about this." Peter told-her firmly, but a little-chuckle did escape from his mouth as he began to find the sound of Carla's childish, but oh so dirty laugh quite amusing.

"Oh but there is darlin'!" She said as she giggled some more, leaning-up towards Peter and kissing-him on the cheek. It wasn't long until Carla re-directed the kisses towards Peter's lips and the pair of them busied themselves with the kissing, the occasional giggle still escaping from both Carla and Peter's mouths. But eventually the giggles faded, and was replaced with pure love as they focussed their attentions on one-another.

It wasn't long until the pair slid-down so that they were led-together on the sofa, still kissing and still feeling like they hadn't a care in the world whilst their lips were connected. If only that would true. Plus, perfection couldn't last forever, and the loved-up couple were soon broken-apart by the sound of Peter's phone ringing.

"Ah sorry about this love." Peter said as he reached into his pocket to get his phone.

"Ignore it." Carla said as she tried to capture Peter's mouths into another passionate-kiss.

"No I can't love, it could be important." Peter told Carla, giving her one-last peck on the lips before answering his phone.

"Hello!" Peter said, slightly-annoyed that a stupid phone-call had interrupted his time with Carla.

Carla watched as Peter's faced drained of all it's colour and tears began to form in his eyes.

"Okay. Bye." Peter said as he hung-up the phone then spared into space.

"Peter what's wrong?" Carla asked worriedly then paused. "Who was that?" She questioned.

"That was the school. Simon's been in a fight….." Peter told Carla.

"Oh well I'm no expert but don't all kids get into a fight at sometime in their school lives?" Carla questioned innocently, but she knew that there was more to this than just a fight.

"Yeah but….." Peter trailed-off as he looked-down.

"But what?" Carla asked.

"But not every fight leaves my son unconscious in hospital with potential paralysis do they?" Peter said, on the brink of tears.

"I think I'm gonna be sick." He said, before he ran-over to the sink just incase.

"Oh Baby." Carla whispered before she followed Peter over to the sink to make-sure that he was okay.

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><p><em><strong>:). Please-Review. :). <strong>  
><em>


	8. Chapter 8

Carla had tried to calm Peter-down, but her attempts were failing badly, Peter was pacing up and down their living-room, not quite-knowing what to do with himself. Carla could see that he was falling-apart, and that any minute now he was going to burst into floods of tears, but he was too proud to admit that, but Carla wished that he would just let-it-out already. Because all of this panicking wasn't healthy for him.

"Come-On Darlin' try not to worry ey? I know this is awful, infact it's horrible, but you need to try and stay calm, you're not gonna be able to help Simon, or even be there for him whilst you're like this." Carla said, trying to be of help, but Peter didn't accept comfort all that easily, infact he rejected it badly.

"Try not to worry? What sort of statement is that? My son is lying unconscious, with his Mum dead, his step-mum completely unaware, and his Dad's not even there to hold his hand because I was having-fun with you! And you're telling me NOT to worry? Well I'm sorry Carla, but I think that's called asking too much of someone." Peter ranted at Carla.

At any-other time apart from, Carla would have shouted at Peter for being so grumpy with her, but she couldn't fall-out with him, not now. The situation was bad-enough as it was, and Carla knew that if she stormed-out because of an argument, Peter would just drink himself silly, and then no-one would be there for Simon when he woke-up.

"Hey I'm sorry darlin' of-course you're worried. Why don't ring Leanne ey? I think she deserves to know considering Simon calls her Mum?" Carla suggested, trying to distract Peter from his panicking.

"Okay….." Peter whispered.

_**The Dreaded Phone-Call. **_

_**Leanne: **Hello?_

_**Peter: **Hi Leanne. **He said shakily. **_

_**Leanne: **Oh…..Hi…..What do you want?_

_**Peter: **Uh…..well…..it's Simon, he's….. **Peter trailed-off as he sniffled-in a few-tears.**_

_**Leanne: **What about Simon?_

_**Peter: **He's been in a fight at school…..And he's had to be taken to hospital. _

_**Leanne: **Oh my gosh. Okay thanks for letting me know. I suppose I'll be seeing you at the hospital? _

_**Peter: **Uh, yeah you will, yeah…..Bye._

_**Leanne: **Bye._

Peter shut the phone-down then just looked at Carla with teary eyes. "We need to go to the hospital." He whispered to her tearfully.

"Oh of-course." Carla told-him before she walked-over to Peter then kissed-him on the lips. "I'll drive you there okay? Heyyy come-on don't cry, don't cry." Carla told him tenderly before she hugged-him tightly, before the couple headed-towards the hospital in Carla's car.

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><p>The paramedics bringing Simon in had arrived a couple of minutes ahead of Carla, Peter and Leanne. So they had found Simon a room so the family could have some privacy with him as they waited for him to come-around.<p>

Peter, Carla, and Leanne arrived at pretty-much the same-time as each-other. Carla felt a bit awkward going-in to visit Simon when the boy practically hated her guts. Plus, Leanne was his real Step-Mother, Simon also called her Mum. So she made her truthful excuses to Peter, and then made her way to the café to wait for Peter. She would visit Simon when he was a bit healthier.

"Listen Darlin', you two are Simon's parents, not me, so I'm just gonna go and wait in the cafeteria alright?" Carla told-him softly as she gently held her man to comfort-him.

"Oh okay. Are you sure?" Peter asked-her shakily.

"Yeah I'm sure. You stay strong for me yeah? And urm….." Carla moved-in closer towards Peter's ear so she could whisper something to him. "Look after Leanne ey? I trust you with her." She whispered and Peter nodded.

"I will." He replied at the same volume.

"Okay then. Remember that I love you, and give Simon a kiss from me. Let-me know once they tell you anything alright? I love you." Carla told-Peter before she kissed him on the lips and then headed-towards the cafeteria.

* * *

><p>Once they were allowed-into see Simon, despite him being unconscious, Peter walked-into the room first, soon followed by Leanne, who purposely stayed a few foot-steps behind, keeping her distance from the man whom she had once-loved.<p>

"He'll be alright ya know." Leanne told Peter a little awkwardly, as she shut the door softly behind-her, not knowing how Peter would respond to her speaking. "He's strong and stubborn….Just like his Dad…..He'll come around when he's ready to." Leanne said, taking another few-steps closer to the man whom she had married; so that she was stood next to him.

"Yeah he is isn't he?" Peter replied, being civil for the sake of the situation. But the truth was that he was already fed-up of fighting with her. "Listen Leanne, I don't wanna be your enemy. I know that I was the one in the wrong, and I can't apologise enough for hurting you in the way that I did, but up until Carla came into my life, you were the love of my life…..My soul-mate…..And me being with Carla hasn't changed that…..I still care about ya, and I'm sure there's still a part of me that loves you, but you know that I love Carla more. So let's just move-on and at-least try and be friends ey? For Simon's sake if nothing else?" Peter said tearfully.

A tear fell from Leanne's face as Peter finished speaking. Through all of her hating of him, she still loved Peter with all her heart, and all she wanted to do was touch him, comfort him, and tell him that she loved-him, but she couldn't do that, and that's what she hated about this whole-situation. She had always relied on Peter for comfort at the bad-time, but now she didn't even have-him, and Leanne was struggling with that.

"Peter. You don't know how much I needed to hear that. Thank-You. It's gonna take a lot for me to get-over what you did to me, and forgive you, but I'll at-least try, and maybe then we can become friends again yeah?" Leanne told Peter softly.

Peter shot Leanne a weak-smiled before he turned his attention back to Simon as she stood at his bedside. "I just hope he's gonna be okay." Peter cried as he finally broke-down into tears.

Leanne found-herself putting her nearest-hand onto Peter's shoulder as she tried to comfort-him whilst he cried his eyes-out. Despite everything that had happened, it still seemed natural for Leanne to comfort Peter, it felt a little-strange, but Leanne it just felt-right.

Peter slowly looked-up at Leanne and then looked at her hand on his shoulder. As Leanne watched him do this, she snatched her hand-away from him and apologised.

"Oh Peter I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done-that." Leanne told-him.

"No it's alright. It's okay; you were just trying to help." Peter told her through the tears.

"Yeah." Leanne replied with a small-smile, she wanted to cry too, but she was just-about managing to hold-it all in.

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><p><em><strong>:). Please-Review. :). <strong>_


	9. Chapter 9

Peter, Leanne, and Carla had been at the hospital all afternoon, and now it was nearing the evening. Simon had showed signs of consciousness, and had even opened his eyes a few times, but he was dopey, so Peter and Leanne had decided to let him sleep for now, they would talk to him in the morning.

After spending the majority of her time out of the way, Carla had decided to pop-into see how Simon was doing. "Hey." She said quietly as she popped her head around the door.

"Oh Hi." Peter replied with a whisper as she met Carla in the middle of the room and Carla reached her arms out to hug him tightly as Peter kissed her on the cheek.

"How's he doing?" Carla asked sensitively as she held Peter with the softest of touches.

"Well he's woken-up a few times, but then he just dozes back-off to sleep." Peter told Carla, as the tears returned to the surfaces of Peter's eyes.

"Ohhh Darlin'…..What have the Doctors said?" Carla continued to question Peter, but ever-so gently to make-sure that she didn't upset-him by doing-so.

"Not much, they've treated the cuts on his head…..10 Stitches…..He hasn't broken anything, but his right arm is all swollen, but they said that we'll have to wait for him to properly wake-up before we find-out whether he'll be able to move-it or not. At-least he's breathing on his own….." Peter told Carla truthfully as she squeezed his hands, trying to comfort him, as she could see that the love of her life was upset by all of this drama.

"Well I'm sure he'll be fine baby. He's a strong little lad." Carla re-assured Peter as Leanne looked-over at the pair of them, she had remained quiet throughout their conversation as she watched-over Simon's sleeping figure.

"Let's not get our hopes up ey?" Leanne suggested, but she couldn't be bothered to argue with Carla right now, she just didn't have the energy for it.

"Yeah she's right, we can't hope for too much, but we can look on the bright-side can't we eh? Listen, I'm gonna go back to the Street for a bit okay. I have got a factory to keep-open, and at the moment I just can't afford to even miss one-day of work, or we might loose-it again. But you just make-sure that ya ring-me, if there's any progress, or even if it's bad-news, you let me know okay? Because Ken and Deirdre will want to know what's happened alright?" Carla told Peter tenderly.

"Alright love." Peter replied quietly, he had been very-quiet ever-since he had found-out the news about Simon bein in a fight, and Carla was beginning to worry about-him, it was unlike Peter to stay quiet in awful situations like this, he usually completely kicked-off. This thought only made Carla all the more worried about her man.

"Okay, well I'll cya later then. I love you." Carla said. "I love you too." Peter replied as Carla kissed Peter on the lips, and he kissed back, before she walked towards the door and opened-it, and then she paused in her tracks. "Cya Leanne." She said kindly with a sympathetic smile before she then left the room.

Leanne didn't reply but instead she just looked at Peter. "Sorry you had to see that…..Ya know what I mean…..Ya know, us two together…..It can't have been easy for you….." Peter trailed-off.

"No it wasn't, but there's no point in us arguing over that anymore Peter. I guess you and Carla are together properly now, and despite what's happened in the past, I'm just gonna have to get-over you and move-on aren't I?" Leanne told Peter, on the verge of tears now.

"Yeah I'm afraid you are Leanne, but I truly hope that you find someone who you deserve, and also someone that deserves you. You were the perfect wife ya know? I wouldn't be where I am today without your help! And I'll never forget that. Without you I'd probably be led where Simon is right now with excessive liver poisoning because of the booze…..And yeah you could say that Simon wouldn't be hospital right now if I hadn't of cheated on you. But where would he be if it wasn't for you eh? A little kid with a dead Mum and diseased drunk for a Dad? He'd be a right thug wouldn't he ey? At least we've managed to give him a decent up-bringing, and I guess he's turned-out alright considering everything that's happened to him in his small little life so far…..I'll never forget everything you've done for Me and Simon, Lee, never." Peter told Leanne truthfully, letting all of his true and inner-feelings out in one long speech.

"Peter don't." Leanne said through the tears that were rolling-down her face in streams, Peter hadn't intended to upset Leanne, not this time around anyway. "Ya know I'll always love you Peter, no-matter how angry or frustrated I might seem, I don't think I'll ever get-over ya. Not ever. No, not you Peter Barlow." Leanne said in floods of tears.

Peter trusted his automatic caring-nature not to lead-into temptation this time around, and so he walked-over to Leanne and hugged-her. "Heyyy come-here. You'll find someone who loves you and who you love." He said as he rubbed her back in a soothing in manner.

"No I won't Peter. No-one is gonna want an ex-prostitute with marital issues and a step-kid on the side are they?" She cried into Peter's shoulder as she hugged him back.

"Leanne." Peter said, taking her face into his hands as she was forced to look him in the eyes. "You're beautiful. You're the most kind and caring woman I have ever-met in my entire-life. Of-course you're gonna find someone. You're amazing Leanne. And yeah I'm in love with Carla now, and yes, I want to be with Carla for the rest of my life, but that's not because you've stopped being any of those things. Ya can't help who ya fall in love with can ya?" Peter said with a slight-giggle as it reminded him of the song.

Leanne chuckled too as she released the hug from Peter. "Oh please don't start singing!" She joked as she playfully hit Peter's shoulder. There was obviously still a connection between the pair of them, but Leanne knew that Peter was in love with Carla now, and she could hardly try and win Peter back when she had spent all of this time being angry at him for cheating on her and then leaving-her for the woman he loved.

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><p>Back on the Street, Carla had text Michelle for an urgent meet-up. They met in Peter and now Carla's flat. When Michelle had finally arrived, she was always running-late, Carla buzzed-her-up, and then Carla let her in and informed her about what had happened with Simon.<p>

"Oh my goodness, so how is he now?" Michelle asked.

"I don't know, I left Peter and Leanne to it…..I don't know if Peter has told Ken and Deirdre yet…..Because they'll want to know…..And…..I don't know…..I just don't know….." Carla trailed-off into a whisper, and Michelle could see that all Carla wanted to do right-now was cry.

"Hey it's alright, just calm-down will ya?" Michelle said as she gently rubbed Carla's arm. "He'll be okay. He's a fighter is Simon ya know?" Michelle said, before she paused. "How did Peter take the news?" She asked sensitively.

"He freaked-out, he was even sick a couple of times. He adores that little-boy 'Chelle! If anything happens to him….." Carla stopped, unable to finish the sentence as she couldn't bare to imagine how Peter would be if anything more drastic than what had already happened was to happen to Simon.

"Nothing is going to happen to him alright? Simon is gonna be absolutely fine okay? He'll enjoy being made a fuss-of at school if he's got a scar or two anyway….." Michelle said, forever the optimist in these kinds-of situations.

"Oh well I guess so, anyway Peter seemed to have calmed-down when I popped into say goodbye….." Carla trailed-off.

"Well surely that's good-news then ey?" Michelle suggested to Carla.

"I suppose so….." She replied.

Later that evening, having calmed-Carla down and re-assured her that Simon was going to be okay, she left Peter and Carla's flat, and headed-home. Home now being Carla's old-flat, she had decided to stay there when Carla had moved-in with Peter. The main-reason was that she didn't truly believe that Carla and Peter would last, so it was somewhere for Carla to come-back to when they split, but Michelle had been proved-wrong on that one. The new-romance on the street seemed to be working quite-well, and Michelle was just glad to see Carla truly happy for once in her life.

* * *

><p>Carla decided to text Peter as she sat all-alone in the flat, on the sofa which she had recently-modernised after persuading Peter to allow her too, and boy did that man take some persuasion.<p>

_**Carla: **Hey. Any news? XxX. _

_**Peter: **Not really. The Doctors have popped-in a few-times, but they just keep sayin that he keeps slippin in n out of consciousness. I need to know more. X._

_**Carla: **Just be patient darlin'. How r u holdin up? XxX._

_**Peter: **I'm not the 1 led in a hospital bed am I? X. _

_**Carla: **Yeah I know that baby but u need 2 stay calm 4 Simon's sake don't ya? He's gonna want ya there when he wakes-up properly. XxX. _

_**Peter: **I spose so….. _

_**Carla: **Well anyway, I'm off to sleep. So I'll c u 2morrow. Sleep well. I Luv U Lots. Ring me if u need anything in the night. K Darlin? XxX. _

_**Peter: **K. Will Do. I Luv u 2. X._

* * *

><p>And with that Carla shut her phone and then walked-into their bedroom with it. She left it on, putting it on loud as she placed it on her bedside-table just incase Peter needed her for anything in the night. She had decided to stay in her clothes for the night just incase she needed to rush-out to Peter for any-reason whatsoever, so she climbed into bed, finding it a little weird as she was used to having Peter led next to her, there for a cuddle if she felt uncomfortable or scared. So it was a bit strange for Carla as she slept-alone for the first-time in around 3 Months.<p>

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><p><em><strong>:). Please-Review. :). <strong>_

_**Little Preview for the next chapter for you all. – So Peter and Leanne are growing-closer again as they re-build their friendship. Will Peter betray Carla as Leanne struggles to get-over her husband? And will Simon be okay when he finally wakes-up or will he be left with minor but partial-paralyses for the rest of his life? **_


	10. Chapter 10

Leanne chose not to stay at the hospital, it would only cause tensions to rise if both her and Peter stayed, so it was only Peter that slept in a chair by Simon's bedside over-night. Carla came-in early that morning to see how both Simon and Peter were; Leanne had told Peter the previous night that she would be in to visit when she could today.

Carla smiled sweetly as she quietly slipped herself into the room with permission from the Nurse, to find Peter asleep in the chair next to Simon's bed. Peter was quietly mumbling to himself in his sleep, which Carla was finding quite cute. She smiled cheekily as she reached into her handbag for her diary, ripping out an old-page with dates-on that had already passed-them-by. She screwed the paper-up then threw it at Peter from the door, hitting him directly on the cheek.

This made Peter jump as he awoke from his slumber. Carla giggled, slightly quieter than she usually would as she was aware that Simon could possibly be conscious and she didn't want to wake-him-up if he was just sleeping. "Morning Handsome." She said, practically singing it as she walked-over to Peter.

"Oh, Heyyy….." Peter trailed-off, slightly croaky as he had just woken-up.

Carla stood behind Peter and wrapped her arms around him lovingly, softly moving her hands across his chest. She gently kissed his cheek and then smiled at him. "I missed you last-night." She whispered to him.

"I missed you too." Peter replied tiredly.

"But I'm glad you stayed, because if you didn't, then I wouldn't have got to watch-you having a little mumble in your sleep when I walked-in just now." Carla teased, trying to cheer-him-up a bit.

Peter smiled and looked away, slightly embarrassed. "Oh was I?" He asked, a little red-faced now.

"Yes you were. And it was sooo adorable. You little cutey you." Carla continued to tease as she played around with Peter's cheeks.

"Ah get-off." Peter laughed as Carla moved-away from him as she walked around to the front of him, and then sat on his lap, wrapping her arms around the back of his neck and looking-at-him directly in the eyes.

"Ah was that a smile? And maybe even a laugh?" Good. I've missed that handsome smile of yours." Carla complimented Peter.

"Oh I wouldn't say handsome…..But I just wish that I could see Simon smile at me again…..It would make my day Car, just to see him look at me, tell me that he's alright. That's all I want." Peter said sadly.

"Heyyy come-on. He'll be alright." Carla re-assured Peter as she gently stroked his cheek with her right index-finger. "I love you." She whispered then kissed Peter on the lips.

Simon's little-eyes opened slowly as the poorly little-boy came-around. "Dad?" He called quietly, unable to shout from where he had been asleep for so long.

"Si?" Peter said, as he pulled-away from the kiss with Carla.

"Dad." He repeated, more confidently this time.

"Ah Mate!" Peter said as a really wide-smile grew across his face. Carla moved-off-of Peter's lap so that Peter could go and see his son.

Peter walked-over and took his son's hand. – His good-arm. "Oh it's so good to see you again mate, to hear your voice." Peter said shakily, with tears in his eyes as he carefully lifted his little hand and kissed the back of it.

"Are you crying?" Si asked his Father.

"I am son." Peter said, as Carla came-over and placed her arm on Peter's shoulder.

"Why?" Simon asked.

"Because he's happy Simon." Carla replied, she was so pleased that Simon had come-around, she had-had her doubts, but for Peter's sake if nothing-else, Carla was so relieved that Simon was awake and seemed to be his normal-self.

"Listen Mate, I suppose I should ring Leanne!" Peter said, trying to appear happy for Simon, but he just wanted to cry, not because he was sad, but because he was so happy that his son was gonna be okay.

* * *

><p>Leanne had soon arrived at the hospital to see Simon, so Carla encouraged Peter to come-out with her for a bit, to give-him a break from the in-hospital' feeling.<p>

"Why don't we go out for lunch ey?" Carla asked Peter happily as she hugged-him.

"Oh no love, I wanna be here for Simon." Peter replied as Carla placed her hand onto his cheek.

"You look tired." She told him softly. "What time did you get-off to sleep last-night?"

"Oh I dunno, it must've been late….." Peter trailed-off.

"Well maybe you should go back to the flat for a bit ey? Have a rest." Carla suggested.

"I don't mind staying with Si, Peter." Leanne said with a smile on her face as she came-out of her conversation with Simon, as Si lay awake contently.

"No. I wanna be with Si today Carla. He needs me more than I need sleep." Peter told Carla, but Carla was still worried about him. He looked over-tired and completely worn-out, but she couldn't tell him what to do, not when his own son was involved.

"Alright then Darlin', but look after yourself ey?" Carla told Peter quietly before she kissed his cheek. "I'm off then. Call me later yeah?" Carla said sweetly before she then headed out of the room and went back to the flat to get herself ready for work.

"So Si how are you feeling?" Peter asked as he approached his son again, standing next to Leanne as Simon lay in bed.

"Oh I've been better, but I'll be fine!" Simon said happily as the Doctor walked-in.

"Hello Simon." The Doctor greeted-him with a smile on her face, before she turned to look at Peter and Leanne. "I take it you're Simon's parents?" She questioned.

"Uh Yeah." Peter answered.

"Well I'm his step-Mum." Answered Leanne at the same-time as Peter had spoken.

"But she's Mum as far as Simon is concerned." Peter told the Doctor sweetly.

"Right. Well I'm gonna do a few exercises with Simon now, see if we can get that arm of his working…..Okay Simon?" The Doctor double-checked as she flicked between Peter and Leanne, and Simon.

The Doctor had soon done this with Simon and had managed to get some movement in his left-arm, which Peter and Leanne were relieved about.

"We'd like to keep-in just for a couple of more days. Just to see if we can get that arm any more mobile." The Doctor informed them as she took them aside, out of Simon's ear-shot.

"But he's gonna be okay overall?" Peter asked.

"Yes. It looks that way. There'll be a scar from the cut on his head, but that's about it." The Doctor replied before she walked-off with a genuine-smile, glad that she could please the apparently happy-family.

"He's gonna be alright Peter!" Leanne said happily with a tears in her eyes before she jumped at Peter, kissing his lips and then hugging him.

"Woah!" Peter chuckled as he hugged Leanne back, hoping that the kiss was out of pure excitement and nothing-more. Peter loved Carla, he wished that he didn't, but he did, and despite cheating on Leanne, Peter refused to do the same to Carla when she had helped him so much, and vice-versa.

But Simon had seen the whole thing...

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><p><em><strong>:). Please-Review. :). <strong>_


	11. Chapter 11

_**Thanks for all of your kind reviews guys! They're really encouraging so please continue to review each-chapter! I love how none of you want Peter and Leanne to get back together! Thanks Again!**_

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><p>That afternoon, Carla arrived at the hospital, and upon seeing that Simon was quite happy and comfortable staying with Leanne, she had managed to convince Peter to come home with her to have a freshen-up and a change of clothes.<p>

As Carla drove, she worried about Peter, he had been pretty-much silent ever-since they had left the hospital, which was very unlike Peter, he always had something to chat about to Carla. They were stopped at red-lights for a while so Carla took the opportunity to check-up on Peter. She carefully placed her left-hand onto his knee, causing him to look her in the eyes.

"Are you alright darlin'?" Carla asked.

"Yeah…..Why?" Peter replied simply.

"You're just very quiet that's all….." Carla trailed-off.

"Oh…..Am I?" Peter questioned distantly, the kiss from Leanne playing firmly on his mind.

"Yes you are…..Look, are you sure you're alright?" Carla asked as the lights turned green and she removed her hand from Peter's knee as she continued to drive.

Peter's head rested against the window as he looked-out of it, the rain pouring on the other-side of the window as his eyes followed a single drop of rain whilst it trickled down the window. He didn't answer Carla's question.

"Peter baby; are you sure Simon's okay?" Carla asked as she pulled-up outside of Peter's flat on the street, Peter remained in the same position, with his head resting against the car-window.

Carla turned the engine-off and then took her seatbelt-off as she waited for Peter to reply…..But he didn't respond…..Again.

"Peter come-on, answer-me." Carla added softly, almost at a whisper as she began to move her hand-up to the nearest side of Peter's neck, gently playing with the hair on the back of his head, as she knew that he liked that feeling.

Peter slowly turned to look at Carla, fear evident in the back of his eyes.

"Simon's fine." He said blankly, before he then took his seatbelt-off and then opened the passenger-door and walked towards the front-door of his flat, opening the door, and then letting-himself-in.

Carla followed-him-in closely after locking the car-up. She didn't know what was wrong with Peter and she was really beginning to worry-about-him now. This wasn't like Peter.

* * *

><p>Back at the hospital, Simon and Leanne were chatting-together.<p>

"So how are you feeling then Mister?" Leanne asked innocently, unaware of what Simon had saw earlier, and the trouble that she was about to be blamed-for.

"I'm fine, it's you lot that need a Doctor!" Simon said humorously.

"Oh Yeah? Why's that then?" Leanne asked cheekily, but happy that Simon seemed to be back to his normal-self.

"I saw Dad and You earlier-on…..I'm not stupid ya know…..You still love each-other don't ya?" Simon told Leanne honestly. "Are you two gonna back together?" He asked innocently, filling his little-brain with hope and happiness, but knowing that he was probably gonna be disappointed now that he had mentioned the subject of love.

"What do you mean Si?" Leanne asked, her happy and genuine smile gradually fading as she prepared herself to break Simon's heart…..Again!

"You kissed. I saw ya!" Simon tried to tease, but Leanne didn't see the funny side to this.

"N-no Si, ya Dad and I…..we just hugged because we were happy that you were gonna be okay…..We didn't kiss?" Leanne said, trying to convince herself that it didn't happen, but knowing deep-down inside that it did. As-if her and Carla weren't at logger-heads enough already.

"Stop Lying!" Simon cried. "I know you kissed, I know ya did! I saw ya! I'm sure of it!" He said sadly as he realised that his Mum and Dad weren't getting back-together.

"Oh I'm sorry Si…..Yeah…..Yes Me and ya Daddy did kiss, but we're not getting back-together mate, and I know that that's what you're thinking…..Isn't it?" Leanne asked, and Simon nodded-sadly.

"Ohhh Si, come-here!" Leanne said as she pulled Simon into a gentle-hug.

Simon smirked as he hugged Leanne back, yes he was sad that his Mummy and Daddy weren't getting back-together, but maybe he could use this to get-rid of Carla for-good.

* * *

><p>Back on the Street, Carla had nipped-out to get some milk and sugar, hoping that when she got-back, Peter would be in a better-mood, and ready to talk to her about whatever was bothering-him.<p>

She made her-way back-into the flat with a shopping-bag in her right-hand.

"Hiya Darlin'!" Carla called as she put the bag-down onto the counter, before she made her-way over to Peter, who was sat on the sofa. She sat next to him, and then cuddled-up to him, wrapping her arms around him tightly.

"Now are you gonna tell-me what's wrong now?" She asked her boyfriend softly as she kissed his cheek.

"Nothing." Peter replied, it was like he had become emotionless in the past-hour, but there was some sort of emotion there, something deep that was really bothering-him, but Carla just couldn't seem to figure-out what it was that was getting to him so much that he wouldn't even tell his own girlfriend what was wrong with him.

"Uh, yeah right darlin'." Carla replied, laughing a little at Peter's attempt to get-away with a pathetic-lie like that.

"Fine Then. Everything." Peter answered, a little more firmly than his previous-answers had been. He was fed-up of Carla's constant sarcastic-mood. He stood-up and then went to look-out of the window.

"Oh well I'm sorry for caring about the love of my life!" Carla answered-back with so-much attitude, but she knew that it was perhaps the only way to get through to Peter when he was in a confusing-mood such as this-one.

"I Love You Peter!" Carla said firmly. "And I want to help ya, and I want to know what's wrong!" She said frustratedly, beginning to raise her voice a little-now. She wasn't angry at him, but it was the only-way that she was going-to provoke a decent-response from him right-now.

Peter didn't respond.

"Look at me Peter!" She commanded softly. "Peter. Look. At. Me!" She said, her teeth-gritted. Eventually, Peter turned around to look Carla in the eyes.

Carla slowly-approached the man she loved and cupped his face into her hands. "I love you." She whispered to him.

"I know you do." Peter replied, tears forming in the back of his eyes as he removed Carla's hands away from his face.

"But it's true! I love you! I love you more than anything in the world Peter Barlow." Carla said passionately.

"And I feel the same about you." Peter whispered as a tear-fell-down his cheek.

"Well thank-goodness for that!" Carla whispered in reply, relieved that even though Peter was crying, at-least it was a sign of him opening-up to her. She wiped the tear-away from Peter's cheek with her thumb before another-one decided to fall.

Carla looked at Peter for two or three seconds, before she then pulled-him-in for a long-hug. "Whatever it is baby, you can tell-me…..You know that don't ya?"

Carla then led Peter back-over to the sofa as they cuddled-up together.

"Carla, if I'd have killed-someone…..Then I would have told you about-it, but this…..Nah, I can't tell-you…..Not yet Carla. Not yet. Not you."

"Peter…..Have ya done something? Something bad?" Carla questioned, frightened for Peter as she cradled-him lovingly in her arms, his head resting against her chest.

"Yes…..No…..I dunno Carla…..I dunno….." He cried softly.

"Then why are you so upset then…..Eh?" Carla asked Peter.

"Because I don't know how you'll react when I tell ya?" Peter replied.

"Have you had a drink?" Carla felt Peter shake his head as she held-him.

"Well…..If you have…..I'd get you through-it, ya know, whatever you've done Peter…..I'd forgive ya…..I love ya too much to let you go now." Carla told Peter truthfully, she would never give-him-up now. She had fought so hard to get-him, that the thought of loosing-him just made Carla want to cry her eyes-out and never-ever stop.

After a long-silence, a mumble came-out of Peter's mouth.

"It's Leanne." He blurted-out in a mutter.

"Sorry?" Carla asked, having not heard him the first time around.

"Leanne…..She kissed-me….." Peter trailed-off, before heading-outside to have a fag. All of this. It was too-much for the already stressed-out Bookie.

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><p>Carla followed Peter outside, still slightly in shock.<p>

Peter was leant against the wall outside of their flat as he smoked a cigarette. "She kissed you, did you say?" Carla interrogated, calmly, for-now anyway.

"Mmm." Peter nodded as a puff of Peter's cigarette-smoke blew around in the wind.

"Right….." Carla trailed-off, unsure of how to react to Peter right-now. On the one-hand, Peter was the innocent-person in all of this, Leanne had kissed-him and it had taken-him by surprise. But on the other-hand, what kind of kiss was it? Was it passionate or just a peck on the lips? Did Peter respond to the kiss, or did he lead-her on in any-way whatsoever? Had Simon seen? Was it purely a kiss, or was this a full-blown affair that Peter had been keeping from Carla.

"I need you to tell me everything Peter…..Everything that's happened between you and Leanne since Simon has been in hospital." Carla told Peter, firmly, but not angrily. She didn't have the energy left in her to be angry...Not with Peter anyway...

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><p><em><strong>:). Please-Review! :). <strong>_


	12. Chapter 12

The sun had set now and it was nearing the night-time. Peter sat on the sofa in his flat, with Carla sat closely next to him, gripping onto his hand like there was no tomorrow.

"So what happened darlin'?" Carla asked, trying not to take her frustrations out on Peter right at this moment, that was to be saved for when she next saw Leanne.

"The Doctor had just told us that Simon was gonna be okay…..We were both over the moon…..You know how much she loves Simon…..And…..She Just…..Kissed Me…..And then hugged me…..I think it was out of shock more than anything…..She was happy, and she just wanted someone to be happy with her…..And I just happened to be that person….." Peter trailed-off, his voice still slightly wobbly from where he had been crying, and where he was close to crying again.

"But that gave her no right to kiss ya Peter….." Carla replied.

"Yeah I know that. But what I'm saying is…..Is that I don't think she realised what she had done…..Until it was too late….." Peter told Carla truthfully.

"Yeah well she's still gonna get a mouthful from me when I see her next!" Carla said, angry at Leanne, and not Peter.

"No. Carla. Don't do that. Leanne didn't mean to kiss me…..She wasn't trying to win me back or anything like that…..She was just happy!" Peter said, trying to convince Carla that Leanne wasn't the evil person that Carla thought she was.

"And why are you defending Leanne?" Carla asked, slightly irritated that Peter seemed to be on Leanne's side in all of this hassle.

"Because, Carla, this time, she hasn't intentionally done anything wrong…..It was an accident…..A moment of happiness for her. And let's face it, me and You have made her life hell in the last-few-months, so maybe, just maybe Carla, Leanne deserves to be happy."

"Yeah…..And the way you're speaking, she's gonna be happy with you!" Carla said, her voice raising a little now.

"No she's not gonna be happy with me Carla because I love YOU! It's you that I want to be with Carla, you should know this by now! I shouldn't have to have this conversation with you. You should trust-me not to be unfaithful to ya!" Peter said angrily as he stood-up and moved-away from Carla, before he continued to rant at her. Anyway, you can't talk, so what if Leanne kissed me? It wasn't so long ago that you were kissing other people's boyfriends…..HUSBANDS! You even tried to seduce me when I was grieving for mine and Leanne's baby! I mean, how low is that? At least Leanne has accepted that I'm with you now!" Peter shouted frustratedly.

"That was different Peter….." Carla trailed-off.

"How?" Peter interrupted.

"You wanted that kiss as much as I did…..The only reason you stopped-me from going any further was because you felt guilty…..Not because you didn't love me…..Leanne…..She won't feel guilty for kissing you…..She'll just be glad that she has something that she can stir trouble with!" Carla spoke those words with pure hatred of Leanne, and Peter couldn't take the pressure anymore.

"Oh just shut-up then get-lost will you Carla? Actually ya know what, you stay here! Why should I be the one left on my own?" Peter shouted angrily before he stormed out of the house.

The second the door slam shut, Carla burst into floods of tears. She hadn't intended this to turn into a massive-argument with Peter. She had just meant to chat everything through with him, and then work on making-sure that Peter was okay before Simon came-home the next-day. What a disaster.

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><p>Meanwhile, Leanne had got herself a taxi back to the Street, Simon had said that he didn't mind if she wanted to go. But she had waited until he had fallen-asleep before she left, hopefully he would sleep through to the morning now.<p>

The taxi dropped her outside the Rovers Return, where Peter was stood-outside smoking a cigarette.

"Thanks a lot mate. Keep the change." Leanne said, before she turned-around and saw Peter.

"Hey….." She said a little awkwardly.

"Alright?" Peter replied.

"Yeah I am, but I can see that you aren't….." Leanne said, knowing from Peter' body language that he was frustrated about something right-now.

"Yeah well, we can't all be happy can we ey?" Peter said to Leanne.

"I suppose not…..You coming into the pub?" Leanne asked, being polite for the sake of the Street's Residents.

"Yeah I guess so….." Peter trailed-off, stubbing out his cigarette and throwing-it to the ground before he followed Leanne inside the pub.

"Heya Love!" Said Stella happily. "Oh? Alright Peter?" She added, noticing that he seemed to be closely behind Leanne.

"No not particularly. A pint of beer please Stella….."

"Uh, I don't think so Peter." Stella interrupted, and Leanne watched-on in shock, wanting to know what was wrong with Peter, but knowing that it was none of her business and that she probably shouldn't get involved, especially not after what Simon had told her earlier-on at the hospital.

"Peter you know that's not a good idea." Leanne said, deciding to intervene. "Why don't you go out the back ey? We can chat?" Leanne suggested.

"Okay….." Peter replied, reluctantly, but knowing that he probably wouldn't have a choice.

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><p>Back at the flat, Carla was sat on the sofa, trying not to cry anymore as she rang Ken and Deirdre's.<p>

"_Hello?"_ Ken Answered.

"_Oh Hiya Ken…..Urm…..Is Peter as yours?" _Carla asked.

"_Um no he isn't. I haven't seen him all day actually. Hows Simon?" _He questioned.

"_Oh. Okay then. And yeah, Simon's doing okay I think…..Hopefully he'll be allowed home tomorrow!" _Carla said, trying to sound cheerful.

"_So what's happening with Peter then? Are you sure he's not at the hospital with Simon, Carla?" _Ken continued to ask.

"_Oh I don't think he'll be there at this time, Si will be asleep…..But don't worry Ken, I'm sure he's around…..I'll ring him, see where he's got too….." _Carla trailed-off.

"_Alright. Well, you'd let me know if something was up…..wouldn't you Carla?" _Ken double-checked.

"_Yeah of-course I would Ken. Listen I'm sure Peter's fine, I just need to talk to him…..That's all….." _

"_Alright then Carla. Goodnight."_

"_Night Ken."_

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><p>Back at the Rovers, Leanne had just walked into the back with two mugs of coffee, and she handed-one to Peter before she sat-down opposite-him, trying to keep her distance so nothing awkward happened between the pair of them.<p>

"As much as part of me hates ya these days Peter, I couldn't stand there and watch ya drink yourself silly. So come-on, what's up?" Leanne asked, but Peter's phone rang before he had the chance to reply to Leanne.

"Oh it's Carla…..I better answer it….." Peter trailed-off as he answered the phone-call.

**Peter: **_Hiya Love….._

**Carla: **_Hey. Where are ya darlin' it's getting late now? - _Carla asked tearfully.

**Peter: **_I know it is love; I'll be home in a bit alright? Listen I'm sorry about earlier….. – _Peter replied, not quite answering Carla's question.

**Carla: **_Oh look, I'm sorry too baby. Just tell-me where you are ey? _

There was a long-pause.

**Peter: **_I'm at the pub. _

**Carla: **_Oh baby, please don't tell me that you're drinking again? – _Carla asked worriedly.

**Peter: **_Well that was the plan…..But Leanne stopped-me. – _Peter said, glancing a grateful smile towards Leanne as he did so.

**Carla: **_Leanne? _

**Peter: **_Yes Leanne and I know what you're gonna say Carla, but please don't kick-off! Leanne was just trying to help-me! _

**Carla: **_Yeah of-course she was. I'm coming over. Tell Leanne she's got a lot of explaining to do._

* * *

><p>And with that, Carla hung-up on Peter and headed towards the pub, storming through the back to find Leanne and Peter sat chatting to one-another.<p>

"Oh well this is cosy." Carla said angrily, with Stella closely behind her.

"Oh so you would rather I was drunk and off my face would you? Probably starting a punch-up with someone on the streets, only to get knocked-out and then hospitalised…..AGAIN. Would ya rather that happened would ya Carla?" Peter back-chatted furiously.

Carla ignored Peter's words and turned her face towards Leanne. "How dare you kiss my boyfriend?" Carla interrogated, picking a fight with Leanne whilst she still had the chance too.

"Uh. Like you can talk Carla!" Leanne replied. "Peter was once my husband incase you had forgotten!"

"Calm-down both of ya!" Stella called from behind Carla as she pushed passed-her and got inbetween the warring-woman.

"CALM-DOWN?" Carla shouted. "First of all I find-out that she kissed Peter at the hospital, and then I find-out that she's back here with him. And I have no-doubt that had I not of intervened then Leanne would currently be busy trying to get Peter back into her bed!" Carla yelled frustratedly.

"Carla stop-it!" Peter said, walking-over to her and taking both of her hands into his.

"No." Carla said, trying to get-herself out of Peter's grip, but failed to do so as Peter was physically stronger than she was.

"Just listen to me will you? I don't know what Leanne's intentions were for this-evening. But the fact is Carla, that I've told you that the kiss was an accident, yet you're still kicking-off about it. It's you that I love Carla. And yes, Me and Leanne have history together. But I'm in love with you, I'm madly in love with you, and I wouldn't cheat on you in a million years!" Peter said, trying to calm-Carla down with his natural-charm that Peter had.

"Yeah, he probably said that to me n all Carla…..Once upon a time when everyone lived happily ever-after…..But people change…..Don't they Peter? And boy have you changed recently Peter Barlow!" Leanne said an angry sarcasm in her voice.

"You leave Peter alone!" Carla screamed back at Leanne.

"Stop! Just STOP! STOP IT!" Peter shouted tearfully, fed-up of all of this arguing. "You can hardly blame-me for wanting a drink, look at the way you two are going-on. But listen, Simon should be coming-first in all of this, not you two, not your petty-fighting, and not me! My son has been really quite ill in hospital these past-few days and you two are so busy arguing with each-other that I'm not sure if I want to bring him home tomorrow morning!" Peter said, just about ready to burse into floods of tears.

Carla sighed sadly. "He's right Leanne." She whispered before she wrapped her arms around the back of Peter's neck.

"I'm sorry baby." Carla whispered to Peter. "I'm so sorry." She repeated as she gave Peter a peck on the lips before she hugged-him tightly.

"Apology Accepted." Peter whispered back to her, a few-tears falling-down his face as he spoke.

"No I mean-it. I've been such a rubbish girlfriend to you recently…..And I really don't deserve to have ya Peter Barlow." Carla said, pulling-away from the hug slightly as she placed one of her hands onto Peter's cheek. "I love you. I love you so much." Carla said, also crying now aswell as Peter. "And when Simon comes home tomorrow, I'm gonna make an effort with him. And Leanne…..If it's alright with you, I'd like to try and re-build our friendship?" Carla pleaded kindly as she clung-onto Peter.

"Yeah sure." Leanne whispered as she nodded at Carla with a small-smile.

"Thank-you." Peter replied to Leanne and then looked-Carla directly into the eyes. "And thank-you too. I love you so much Carla Connor." Peter said before the couple kissed-passionately, and then headed-home together.

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><p><em><strong>:). Please-Review! :). <strong>_


	13. Chapter 13

**Hopefully a slightly happier chapter! . **

The next morning, Peter and Carla went to collect Simon from the hospital together. After yesterday's drama, Leanne had agreed that she would see Simon when he got home, and leave Carla and Peter to their own business. The couple walked-into the room and smiled at Simon.

"Heya Pal." Peter said as Simon was sat with his legs dangling off the edge of the bed, he was ready to go home now, with just the odd-scratch on his head, but his arm was fine now.

"Hi Dad!" Simon said excitedly before looking at Carla and then frowning as he turned his head back to look back at his Father. "Oh…..Is Leanne not with you?" Simon asked sadly.

"Uh...No Pal…..No she isn't….." Peter trailed-off, catching Carla's Eye, and Carla shot him a re-assuring smile, letting Peter know that she didn't mind them talking about Leanne infront of them.

"Why not?" The young-lad asked.

"She's busy, I'm sure you'll see her later….." Peter told Simon truthfully.

"But I thought you two were getting back-together?" Simon asked, confused by the whole-situation. "You kissed, I saw ya!" Simon said to his Dad, and Carla sighed.

"I'm sorry Si, we're not. You know I'm with Carla now don't ya?" Peter softly double-checked with his son.

"But….."

"No but's son. Let's just get you home ey?" Peter suggested as Simon hopped-off-of the bed and then reached-up to his Dad, before Peter picked-him-up into his arms. "I love ya mate, ya know that don't ya?" Peter said, kissing the side of Simon's head before he took Carla's hand and then headed-back to the car with them both.

When they got home, Simon cuddled-up to Peter on the sofa and eventually fell-asleep, his head resting against his Father's stomach. "He reminds me of you when you're asleep." Carla quietly told Peter, perching on the arm of the sofa next to Peter and putting her arm around his shoulders.

"Oh does he?" Peter asked.

"Yeah….He almost beats you in cuteness when he's asleep…..It's just a shame he can't be the same when he's awake." Carla trailed-off with a small-laugh.

"Heyyy, I'm sure he'll come-around soon enough love." Peter said, leaning his head upwards and reaching Carla for a peck on the lips.

"Oh I know he will my darlin'." Carla told Peter, before Peter gently carried Simon into his bedroom, beign careful not to wake-him as he softly placed him onto the bed. He would wake-him-up at lunch-time.

When Peter re-appeared into the living-room, Carla stood-up and smiled cheekily at Peter.

"What are you looking so happy about?" Peter asked with a small-laugh.

"Is he totally out of it?" Carla questioned-back.

"Yes…..I'll wake-him-up at lunch-time…..Why?" Peter asked suspiciously as Carla approached him and wrapped-her-arms around Peter's neck.

"Because as-long as he's asleep then we don't have to worry about him. And I know that you've been very stressed recently. So I thought that maybe we could…..Ya know…..de-stress a little?" Carla said, quietly but cheekily as she kissed Peter on the cheek.

"Oh Yeah? So how are you gonna de-stress me then?" Peter asked with a small-smirk.

"Oh I dunno a cup of coffee maybe?" Carla Joked as she pressed her lips against Peter's, and he kissed her back through the laughter.

"Well I think it's gonna take a bit more than coffee to make sure that I'm…..Fully Relaxed." Peter replied cheekily.

"Oh well aren't you the fussy one tonight?" Carla said sarcastically as she led Peter over to the sofa and sat on his lap, kissing him again as she made herself comfortable on his lap.

"Ah that's more like it." Peter said, satisfied as he spoke through the kisses.

"Oh I dunno, I still think coffee would've done the trick….." Carla Joked-Around.

"Hmmm. Yeah but nothing works quite as-well as you do Carla. You're like a tablet that the Doctor can't prescribe." Peter said, kissing her again.

"Oh well aren't you just adorable today?" Carla told Peter sweetly as the totally in-love couple fell back into the sofa together as they kissed each-other passionately.

Before they knew it, it was lunchtime, and Peter went to wake Simon up from his nap.

Simon walked into the living-room followed closely by Peter.

"Hiya Simon." Carla said happily to him.

"Hi." Simon replied, it wasn't much, but it was progress as far as Carla was concerned.

Simon sat himself at the table, ready for his lunch as Peter warmed-up some pizza for the three of them. They didn't have pizza very-often, but Peter thought that Simon deserved a treat after the past-couple of days.

"Do you need any help love?" Carla asked as she stood-up and then approached Peter in the kitchen.

"Oh no thanks love. I'm fine. But thanks anyway." Peter said with a smile as he turned to face Carla, placing his hands on her hips. "I love you ya know." Peter told Carla sweetly as he rested his forehead against hers.

"Good. Because the feelings mutual." Carla giggled cheekily.

"No I'm being serious. Things haven't been easy recently. What with Simon playing-up with you, and Leanne being stupid, and me just messing things up as always…..But you've stuck with us throughout it all, and I can't thank-you enough for that….." Peter trailed-off as he placed a soft-kiss onto Carla's lips, and Carla returned the sweet-gesture.

"Yeah well there have been times when I've thought, why an earth am I with you? All I am doing is just ruining yours and Simon's lives….." Carla paused. "But then I just remember that I've loved-you for ages, and that I've chased-you and chased-you throughout-it-all, and then I realise just how lucky I am to have you, and that I couldn't love anyone more than I love you. And that's what keeps me going Peter. Just the thought of being able to hold-ya when I get-home. I love you so much Peter." Carla finished-off with a whisper before the couple then hugged each-other tightly.

Peter smiled widely as he held-Carla in his arms. "And I love you too." He whispered into Carla's ear before he then gently kissed her cheek.


	14. Chapter 14

**Thanks again for the reviews! I'm not really sure where to go with this fic, but I'm gonna try and keep-it going. So sorry for the cheesy family stuff in this chapter. – I'm hoping it'll spark another idea off! :). **

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><p>That evening, Peter took Simon round to Leanne's and offered to let him perhaps stay the stay if she was alright with that. It was Carla's persuasion that got him to agree to it, and as-usual, in the end, Peter had accepted that Carla was right…..AGAIN. And that this would be good for Carla and Simon's relationship in the long-term if they weren't constantly in each-other's pockets ready to tear pieces out of each-other 247.

When Leanne had settled Simon-in, she went out to the bar, where he was stood with Carla, to thank-him for letting Si stay for the night.

"Peter. Listen. Thanks for letting-him stay, you know how much it means to be." Leanne told him gratefully.

"Yeah well don't thank-me, thank Carla." Peter said, trying to re-build the two girls' trust in one-another. "It was Carla's Idea." Peter said happily.

"Oh…..Right…..Well…..Thanks. I Guess." Leanne thanked Carla, a little-awkwardly from where the two of them weren't exactly the best of friends.

"That's Alright." Carla replied, trying to be civil for the sake of Peter if nothing-else.

"Anyway Lea, I hope Simon behaves himself, tell him I said night and that I love him will ya?" Peter asked Leanne as he took a hold of Carla's hand, ready to head-home with her.

"Okay I Will. And I'm sure he'll be fine." Leanne replied.

"Yeah I'm sure he will-be." Added Carla. "Oh and tell-him I said goodnight aswell ey?" Carla said, trying to make an effort with Simon.

"Alright….." Leanne trailed-off before she then headed-into the back to see Simon.

Peter and Carla popped-into Ken and Deirdre's on the way-home. After everything that had happened, Peter hoped that his Father and Step-Mother would begin to accept Carla as part of the family now.

* * *

><p>"Hiya it's only us!" Peter called as the pair-of-them shuffled through the front-door together, still hand-in-hand.<p>

"Ah Brother! Long time no see!" Tracy said happily, greeting her older-brother with a hug. They weren't biologically brother and sister, but they considered each-other as siblings, and Carla admired that. She couldn't even get-along with her real brothers.

"Alright Carla?" Tracy added, staying civil for Peter's sake, and Carla smiled and nodded in reply, unsure of how to take Tracy now that she was essentially her Sister-in-Law, just without the Marriage to Peter.

"Heya Sis." Peter said as he hugged his Sister back, before the three of them walked-into the living-room to see Ken, Deirdre, and little Amy.

"Uncle Peter!" Amy said excitedly as she ran up to him and gave-him a hug.

"Well Hello There Amy." Peter said, speaking in his children's voice as he picked-Amy up into his arms.

"Who's ya new girlfriend?" Amy asked bluntly, she meant it innocently, but it just came-out in the wrong-way, but Peter and Carla knew that she wasn't intending for it to be a harsh-question, she was just inquisitive…..About absolutely everything…..

"Ah. Well this is Carla." Peter introduced-her.

"Carla. I like that name." Amy said and Carla smiled at the statement.

"Aww thank-you Amy, well I happen to think that Amy is a beautiful name too." Carla replied.

"Mummy, does that mean that I can call her Aunty Carla?" Amy asked her Mother, but Tracy just laughed.

"Oh well I dunno sweetheart, I guess that's upto Peter and Carla isn't it?" Tracy replied, giggling slightly at the thought of it, she could see that Carla struggled with children, and Tracy was finding-it quite-amusing.

"Where's Simon?" Ken asked, out of the blue.

"He's with Leanne." Carla replied.

"Oh. Palmed-him off on her have ya?" Deirdre replied disapprovingly.

"No actually, Simon asked if could see her, and Leanne was alright with it, so I let-him stay the night there if that's alright with you Deirdre?" Peter said, slightly irritated by Deirdre's question.

"I suppose so….." Deirdre trailed-off as Peter lowered Amy back-down to the ground, giving her a sweet-kiss on the cheek before allowing her to go-back to playing with her toys.

"Anyway….." Carla said, trying to move-on from that awkward subject, and to lighten the mood a little. "Amy can call-me whatever she likes…..Within reason that is." Carla said with a small, but quiet-laugh.

"Great." Tracy replied. "So Peter, seeing-as you never managed to have a baby with Leanne, dya recon you'll manage-it with Carla?" Tracy asked teasingly.

"Hey just one-step at a time ey Sis?" Peter replied with a chuckle.

"Yeah I suppose so…..Anyway, if Simon despises her…..Then I guess he'd influence the baby wouldn't he?" Tracy said, appearing to be sensitive about-it, but Peter knew his Sister well-enough to know that Tracy was trying to create friction between herself and Carla.

"Alright, let's not even go there ey Trace?….." Peter said, warning her off the subject of Simon.

"Yeah, I mean…..We've only officially been a couple for few-months. Give-us a chance." Carla added, calmly. – She was keeping-it polite with the knowledge inside of her that she had to try and impress the Barlow Family. – So she couldn't be getting-into anymore petty-cat-fights with any of the family…..Especially Tracy, who was known for stirring-up trouble.

"Oh I'm Sorry, I didn't realise that baby-talk was banned from this family." Tracy back-chatted, annoyed that her trouble-stirring wasn't working with Carla this-evening, and it was obvious that Carla wasn't even going to risk saying anything controversial tonight.

"Hey come-on Tracy, you know how difficult life has been for both Peter and Carla over the past-year…..I'm sure Carla will make a great Mother…..One-Day." Ken said to Tracy, and both Carla and Peter were pleased that his Father had just defended Carla against Tracy.

"Hmmm, I suppose…..Sorry Carla….." Tracy trailed-off, making-it fully-well-obvious that she didn't really mean her apology.

"Nooo Worries….." Carla replied, gritting her teeth so that she couldn't say anything to Tracy that she would later-regret.

"Anyway, I suppose we best be getting-home. Night Dad…..Deirdre." Peter said before he walked-over to Tracy and hugged her before giving-her a kiss on the cheek. "Night Sis."

"Night." Tracy replied, also kissing his cheek before shooting an obviously false-smile at Carla, and Carla did the same in return.

"Amy, does your Uncle Peter get a goodnight kiss then?" Peter asked as he crouched-down next to where Amy was playing with her toys on the floor.

"Yeah." Amy replied as she walked towards her Uncle and then placed a child's kiss onto his cheek.

"Thank-You. Does Carla get one too?" Peter asked happily.

"Uh No. No she doesn't." Tracy intervened.

Amy frowned. "But Mummy I like Carla."

"Yes Mummy. Amy likes Carla." Peter said, hinting at her to drop the trouble-stirring before he did something about-it himself.

"Oh. Fine Then." Tracy said stroppily like a little-kid would if they didn't get their-own-way.

And with that Amy ran-over to Carla and hugged-her as Carla crouched-down to her-level and allowed Amy to give-her a kiss on the cheek.

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><p><em><strong>How do you think Tracy and Carla's relationship should develop, ultimate hatred of one-another? Or should it improve over-time? :).<strong>_

_**:). Please-Review. :). **_


	15. Chapter 15

Carla lay in bed that night thinking about her life at the moment. How things had changed since she had met Peter. And how Peter's life had changed since they had been together. Yeah, things weren't great between herself and Simon, but they were making progress. She hoped that eventually Deirdre and Tracy would start accepting her into the family, Amy seemed to like her already, which was a good thing, and Ken was being civil enough. Carla wondered why Peter hadn't come-through yet, but as she drifted-off to sleep, she figured that he would be in soon. She felt lonely without him next to her, she had gotten-used to cuddling-upto him as she fell-asleep, and it felt odd. Peter made her feel warm. He made her feel safe.

Peter was infact, only next-door in Simon's room, and was sat on his bed. Even-though Simon was with Leanne for tonight, Peter couldn't get the little-lad out of his mind. There was still a part of Peter that felt guilty for completely wrecking Simon's perfect little world by giving-into his love for Carla. But he had tried to fight-it, and there were much-worse things that could've happened if he hadn't admitted that he had fallen for Carla…..He missed not having Simon here tonight, he missed not being able to read him a bedtime story. And he also hated the thought that Simon was probably having a much-better-time over at the Rovers Return with Leanne and her family, than he ever would when he was with Carla and himself, Simon's very-own biological Father!

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><p>The next morning, Carla awoke to an empty-space next to her. She immediately got out of bed. "Peter?" She called as she walked-into the living-room in her silky dressing-gown. "Peter?" She repeated as she popped her head-around into Simon's room, not expecting to find-him in there, but he was. He was sat-up on Simon's bed, leaning-against the wall as he slept.<p>

Carla gave a confused look, which was soon followed by a loving-smile as she sat next to her dozing boyfriend. "Peter." She whispered into his ear, but he kind-of shrugged-it off in his sleep. "Darlin' it's time to wake-up." Carla whispered a little-more loudly than before. This time around, Peter's eyes slowly began to open as he looked-at Carla.

"Ah Morning. I see you never made-it to bed last-night." Carla said gently as Peter stretched to wake himself-up slightly.

"Oh Yeah. Sorry about that love…..I just started thinking about Simon…..So I came-into his bedroom for a bit…..And I must've fallen-asleep here…..I missed-him last-night ya know Car….." Peter trailed-off.

"I know ya did Darlin'…..Just like I missed you. What made you think about Simon then?" Carla questioned Peter lightly.

"Oh ya know, after seeing Amy, it just got me thinking about him…..I mean, as frustrating as my sister can be at-times, at-least her and Steve seem to have settled a kind-of rota for Amy…..Simon's life is all over the place at the moment. One minute I'm telling-him that he has to be nice to you, and the next minute I'm sending him over to Leanne's for the night…..What kind-of Father confuses their kid like that ey?…..Si needs to know when he can stay at Leanne's and when he's gotta be at home. Maybe that'll settle him down a bit ya know? I just miss the lovely little boy that I used to have…..He's become a little-terror recently…..And I just feel like it's all my fault….." Peter said sadly, standing-up from the bed and walking-out of the room and into the living-room where he collapsed himself-down-onto the sofa.

Carla followed-Peter-out of the room, and sat-down next to him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. "Don't blame yourself darlin'. You know aswell as I do that there was no-point in you staying with Leanne any-longer if you didn't love her anymore. And yes, I know that Simon's pretty-upset about the whole-situation. But we'll get through-it, as a couple. Okay?" Carla said, trying to re-assure Peter that everything was going to be okay.

"I know we will. But I just want everything to be perfect…..For You…..For Si...And it's not like he's even making an effort with you!" Peter said, slightly frustrated by this thought but he could hardly blame his own son when Peter was the one who had forced Carla into the little-lad's already complicated life.

"Peter, calm-down alright…..Everything's going to be fine….." Carla said, trying to convince-him even-more that things would be alright in the end. "Listen Darling. Me and Leanne have reached breaking-point now, and I think we'll be alright from now on…..So that's one step-forwards…..Just one-step at a time ey sweetheart?"

"I suppose so….." Peter trailed-off into a pause. "I'm going for a smoke before I pick Simon-up to take him to school…." Peter told Carla before he headed-outside for a cigarette.

* * *

><p>As he leant against the wall, Tracy and Amy approached him from across the road.<p>

"Alright there Bro?" Tracy said with a happy smile on her face as she let-go of Amy's hand.

"Hiya Sis. And is that Amy I can see?" Peter said in a childish voice to make Amy laugh. Peter was thankful that Amy and Simon seemed to get-along so well, that would help with settling-things at his Dad and Deirdre's when Leanne wasn't available.

"Mummy Uncle Peter's being silly!" Amy said as she giggled.

"I know he is right?" Tracy said with a laugh.

"Listen did you want something…..Because I've gotta get Simon from Leanne's in a bit so I want to finish this first….." Peter told Tracy bluntly, referring to the lit-up cigarette which he was holding between his first two fingers.

"Oh fine. I won't stop and chat to my own brother then…..Nice to know I'm loved…..You're worse than Carla…..And trust-me that's bad….."

"Trace…Cut-it out ey?" Peter said, trying to remain calm as he spoke to his Sister, before inhaling, and then breathing-out some of his cigarette.

"Well I'll tell you what…..If you give-up smoking, then I'll give-up on trying to wind-up Carla…..Deal?" Tracy teased, knowing that she was about to get her own-way…..Again.

"Oh Tracy come-on you know that's not gonna happen. Why can't you just make an effort for a change? I love Carla and you're just gonna have to deal with that!" Peter told Tracy firmly.

And as if right on cue, Carla herself appeared at the front-door with her handbag, ready to go to the factory to open-up for the day.

"Ah I thought I could hear-you two chatterin'-on…..Shouldn't you be collecting Simon Mister?" Carla asked, playfully poking Peter in the arm.

"Yeah sorry, running a little-late today love. My Sister and my gorgeous niece distracted me." Peter told Carla as he slipped his nearest-arm around Carla's waist, and Carla did the same, except around Peter's shoulders.

"Oh right, well I'm not sure that Simon and Amy's teacher would be to happy about that…..Would they Amy?" Carla asked, catching Amy's attention as the little-girl heard her name being called.

"No. Come-on Mummy let's go we're gonna be late for school." Amy moaned as she tried to pull at her Mother's arm.

"Alright. Enough Amy. Listen, Simon's gonna be even later than us if Uncle Peter doesn't hurry-up. Why don't I go and pick-him-up for ya ey?" Tracy suggested. - Half to Amy, and half to Peter.

"Awww that's a great-idea. Thanks Tracy." Carla said kindly, as Peter nodded in agreement with Carla.

"Uh I wasn't talking to you." Tracy replied nastily.

"Hey! What were we JUST saying?" Peter reminded Tracy, annoyed that she wasn't even doing so much as pretending to be nice to Carla.

"Yeah well you should teach-her not to speak-out of turn then shouldn't ya?" Tracy said to Peter, shooting a dirty-look towards Carla.

"Uh. Excuse-Me Tracy. But I think you'll find that I have as much of a right to talk as you do!" Carla argued back, slightly irritated by Tracy's rude-attitude towards-her.

"Yeah Carla's Right Trace. Leave her alone ey? Look. Thanks for offering to pick Simon up from Leanne's, now if you wouldn't mind, I'd quite like you to go and do that before you upset my girlfriend anymore!" Peter said calmly, but you could hear the anger in his voice. He then stubbed his cigarette out against the wall, before throwing it the ground away from where everyone…..Especially Amy, was stood.

Tracy took Amy's hand again and then headed-off towards the pub, where Simon was staying with Leanne, without so-much as a goodbye towards Peter and Carla. Amy had tried to wave but she just got dragged-away by her Mother.

* * *

><p>"Sorry about that love." Peter began as he decided to walk with Carla to the factory now that Simon was being dealt-with for-the pair of them. "Ya know, you may not believe me when I say this, but Tracy has actually got a really lovely side to her…..We've always been quite close…..But anyway…..What I'm saying is…..Is that the attitude she gives-you is all put-on, that's not the real Tracy…..Behind that mouthy attitude which she puts on, is a vulnerable little-girl who can't live without her Mum and Dad…..Just ignore her little snipes at you…..That's just how she is…..She was like it with Leanne, and she's been like it with most my ex-girlfriends over the years…..So just ignore it yeah?" Peter suggested as they reached the factory together.<p>

"Okay. So. No I don't believe you in the slightest, but yes I will try and ignore-her…..And somehow just try to believe what you have just told-me about her….." Carla said as she turned herself so that her whole body was facing directly towards Peter, as she fiddled with either-side of his leather-jacket.

Peter smiled sweetly at her. "Thanks Love." He said to her before Carla gently tugged at his leather-jacket and his hands rested against her hips as she pulled-him in for a loving-kiss.

As they kissed, Michelle appeared through the factory-doors. "Ah I was just about to send a search-party out for you. It's not like you to be late!" Michelle called as she walked-over to Carla and Peter, bringing their kiss to an abrupt end.

"Oh Thanks 'Chelle. Just ruin the moment why don't you!" Carla said sarcastically as she smiled at Michelle and then laughed as Michelle shot Carla a very guilty-look.

"Oh Sorry I didn't mean..." Michelle trailed-off as she was interrupted by Peter.

"We were only joking Michelle, there's no need to look so worried!" Peter said, mid-laugh as he felt Carla's head drop onto his shoulder as she laughed.

"Oh well thank-goodness for that. I thought I was in for a right telling-off then…..I felt a bit like a teenaged school-kid all over again!" Michelle said with a happy-smile on her face. "Anyway come-on you. You're late!" She told Carla, as she took her arm and was forced to practically drag-her away from Peter's arms.

"But I need to chat to Peter about something….." Carla said, trying to make-excuses for not going into work yet.

"I'm sure you'll have plenty of time to chat to Peter later. Now come-on!" Michelle giggled as she continued to drag Carla along-with-her into the factory.

"Oh. Fine-Then." Carla gave-in before she turned-around for a second to face Peter. "Cya later darlin'. I love you!" Carla called-over to Peter as she blew-him a kiss.

"I love you too! Bye!" Peter said, laughing as he watched the love of his be physically forced into work by Michelle. Anyone could be forgiven for thinking that Michelle was the boss rather-than Carla!

* * *

><p><em><strong>Please-Review!<strong>_


	16. Chapter 16

That evening, Simon was back with Peter and Carla and the three of them decided to spend the evening in together.

Whilst Carla cooked-tea. – She had offered to, Peter called his son over to the sofa for a quiet chat.

"Hey son. Come over here for a second. Come and sit next to me." Peter commanded his son nicely. And Simon did as he was told.

"Did you have a good time at Leanne's?" Peter asked.

"Why do you want to know? You don't even like Leanne anymore….." Simon replied stroppily.

"I was just asking mate!" Peter replied.

"What did you want me for anyway?" Simon asked frustratedly.

"Well….." Peter began, lowering the volume of his voice to a whisper so that Carla wouldn't hear. "It's Carla's birthday next-week…..And I need your help organising a party for her alright?" Peter explained to Simon secretively, as Carla obliviously got-on with cooking tea for the new small family of three.

"What do you want me to do?" Simon asked, unsure of whether he wanted to help his Dad when it involved pleasing Carla just yet.

"I need you to find-out who Carla's best-friends are…..ya know the kind-of friends she's invite to a party….." Peter trailed-off.

"But Dad I don't even like her…..Why would I ask her who her friends are?" Simon questioned.

"Because, you're my son and I love ya very much that's why!" Peter told him with a cheeky smile on his face, choosing to ignore the fact that Simon had just told-him that he didn't like Carla.

"Oh Fine!" Simon said, sighing and rolling his eyes as he stood-up and then headed-over to the kitchen, where Carla was busy cooking the three of them tea.

"Carla." Simon began.

"Yes Simon." Carla replied with a smile.

"Do you have any friends?" Simon asked bluntly, he hadn't intended it for it to come out like that.

"Uh of-course I do Si…..Why do you ask?" Carla questioned.

"No reason…..But urm…..Who are your like…..Best friends?" Simon asked, trying to be nice…..But Simon found it difficult when she was the person who had driven his Mum away.

"Oh I dunno…..Michelle and Maria I guess…..And then some of the factory lot…..Oh and I guess Sunita's not that bad either…..Why? Who are your best-friends?" Carla asked, hoping that she'd be able to create a conversation with the boy for a change.

"Right…..And urm…..That doesn't matter….." Simon trailed-off as Peter listened on.

"Oh?" Said a confused Carla. "Okay then, whatever." Carla replied as Simon walked back over to his Dad, who was still sat on the sofa.

"I hope you heard that because I'm not talking to her again!" Simon whispered before he walked-into his room.

Peter smiled as he watched Simon disappear into his room, before Peter approached Carla. "So love, it's your birthday next week isn't it? Anything you wanted before I buy your present?" Peter asked Carla sweetly as he stood-behind her and wrapped his hands around her stomach, linking them together at the front as Carla's hands rested on top of his.

"Peter, all I want for my birthday, is to be happy but sober." Carla told him softly before then turned-around in his arms to face him and rested her hands against his chest. "And with you here, along with Si. Things will be perfect." She said to Peter quietly as she looked-at-him directly into his eyes before she then kissed him on the lips.

"Well that's great love…..But I'd be in so much trouble if I didn't get you a present…..Besides you deserve a treat whether it's your birthday or not….." Peter told her sweetly. "You've been amazing recently. Thank-You." He said gratefully.

"Hey I couldn't have got through the whole Frank situation without your friendship…..And then the trial…..If you weren't there…..I don't know what I'd have done…..So now that we're officially together…..I think I owe it to ya to show you some support back ey?" Carla told him softly.

"Okay then…..Well thank-you anyway." Peter repeated before the pair kissed and then called Simon in for tea.

After tea, Carla popped-out to meet Michelle, it had been a while since the two friends had-had a proper catch-up. They met in Roys-Rolls, in hope that they could avoid Leanne or Stella there, if they went to the Rovers then it was guaranteed that they would come face-to-face with at-least one of them, and Carla could do without an argument or a cat-fight, so they chose to avoid it happening at all costs.

The two ladies sat together in Roys-Rolls with a coffee each as they chatted. "So Miss. How are things with Peter going?" Michelle asked happily.

"Things with Peter? Oh yeah they're great….." Carla trailed-off.

"And what about Simon?" Michelle asked.

"I dunno…..One minute he hates me, the next minute he's chatting-away to me like Leanne never existed….." Carla told Michelle truthfully.

"How'd ya mean?" Michelle questioned.

"Well…..It's like tonight…..He's been really nice to me…..But then there's tomorrow…..Who knows what he'll be like then!" Carla confided in Michelle.

"Well I'm sure things will settle down eventually love…..What about Ken and Deirdre?"

"Ken's been great…..I dunno what Deirdre thinks of me yet…..But if Peter's father can at-least pretend to be nice to me…..Then I'm sure his step-mum could try and make and effort to be civil with me….." Carla told Michelle.

"Yeah that's true….." Michelle trailed-off.

Back at the flat, Peter was chatting with Simon about organising this birthday-party for Carla.

"Can I invite Leanne?" Simon asked excitedly, but mischievously.

"Mate this is Carla's party not yours…..We have to invite people who Carla gets along with…..Remember?" Peter told his son as nicely as possible.

"But…..I want Leanne there….." Simon trailed-off sadly.

"Yes I know ya do pal, but I'm afraid that Carla definitely won't want Leanne there…..And I can't say I do either all that much to be honest…..So sorry pal….She won't be getting an invite." Peter broke the news to Simon confidently, but gently and carefully so that Simon wouldn't kick-off.

"You're Boring!" Simon shouted before running-off to his room in a strop. It had been a calmer reaction than Peter had expected, but it still hurt him to see his son so confused and angry like that.

Carla soon arrived back at the flat in a happy mood after her catch-up with Michelle. "Hiya Love!" Carla called as she walked-into the living-room, to find Peter writing something.

"What've you got there?" Carla asked nosily.

"Nothing….." Peter said as he screwed-up the list of people invited to the party so that Carla couldn't see it.

"Oh Fine. Be secretive then." Carla joked.

"Oh I just found a drawing from when Simon was about 4, hidden under the sofa, and he said that I could get-rid of it….." Peter lied…..He was a rubbish liar.

"Peter Barlow, after our affair, I was beginning to think that you're lying skills had improved, but obviously not." Carla teased. "But it's fine. You don't have to tell-me what you've really for scrunched up in your hands. I trust ya!" Carla said happily as she leaned-over to kiss Peter on the lips, and Peter responded gladly as Carla lay-him back on the sofa and moved-over him as she continued to kiss him…..

Carla paused for a second. "What's wrong?" Peter asked, not wanting the kissing to end.

"Where's Simon?" Carla asked.

"Fast-Asleep in his bedroom…..Why?" Peter asked cheekily.

"Good. Because now I have you all to myself….." Carla trailed-off before the kissing began again…..


	17. Chapter 17

Carla awoke early that morning as she lay in bed and watched Peter sleep. She gently stroked the side of his head and behind his ears as she admired everything about him. He certainly was sweet when he was asleep.

"I love you Peter Barlow." Carla whispered before she placed the softest kiss onto his forehead and then headed-into the living-room leaving Peter asleep for a little while longer.

* * *

><p>When she got into the living-room, Carla realised that Simon was already awake.<p>

"Morning Si." Carla said tiredly as she sat herself down onto the sofa.

"It's Simon to you. Only people who I like can call me Si!" Simon said stroppily.

"Oh well I'm sorry Simon. Anyway you're up early aren't ya? Your Dad has to drag you out of bed normally?" Carla questioned.

"Ah…..I couldn't sleep." Simon replied as he sat on the sofa with Carla, but at the completely opposite end to her.

"Oh Dear. Why not?" Carla asked, concerned for the little-kid.

"I kept having nightmares….." Simon trailed-off, close to tears now.

"Oh…..Well what were they about?" Carla asked. But there was no response from Simon as he looked-around the room, desperately trying to find something to distract Carla with.

"Simon? What were the nightmares about?" Again. No Response.

"Well have you told your Dad about these nightmares?" This time, Simon shook his head.

"Well it might help if you told him…..It's his job to make you feel safe…..He certainly makes me feel safe….." Carla trailed-off as she was interrupted by an angry Simon.

"I don't want to tell him. There's no-point in telling-him. He wouldn't believe-me!" Simon told Carla, getting more and more frustrated everytime Carla spoke.

"Of-Course he'd believe ya. Why don't you want to tell-him?" Carla asked.

"BECAUSE THEY ARE ABOUT YOU!" Simon shouted, before he then ran-off into room in floods of tears.

"What?" Carla whispered to herself. That little-boy was confusing her more than anything-else in the world right-now.

* * *

><p>Around half-an-hour later, Peter emerged from the bedroom and rubbed his hand over his face as he yawned, tiredly.<p>

"Morning." Peter said mid-yawn.

"Oh Morning Darlin'." Carla said distantly with a forced-smile, which Peter immediately noticed, obviously.

"Are you okay love?" Peter asked.

"Yeah…..Well…..No…..You missed all the drama this morning…" Carla trailed-off nervously.

"Oh Yeah? What happened then?" Peter asked as he came to sit next to Carla on the sofa.

"It's Simon…..When I came-through here he was already awake…..He said he kept having nightmares….."

"Oh well he didn't tell me…..But that's nothing to worry about then love…..He's a young-boy…..All of them have nightmares." Peter re-assured with a sweet-smile. "But it's lovely that you're worried about him though love….." He told-her as he gave-her a kiss on the cheek.

"Yeah but there's just one-problem….."

"And what's that?" Peter asked, his tired smile suddenly turning into a look of worry and concern for Carla.

"He said his nightmares were about me….." Carla revealed to Peter. The man sighed and looked-down, heart-broken as he took-in what Carla had just told-him. Just as he had thought that things were getting-there between Carla and Simon. And the organisation with Simon, for Carla's birthday party next-week seemed to be going successfully, and Simon had been very co-operative and had even almost had a whole conversation with Carla. But as-usual things had come crashing-down in true Simon style.

"I'm sorry love…..That must've hurt ya." Peter said to Carla shamefully.

"Oh don't you worry about-me love…..I'm more worried about the fact that Simon must hate me that much that he has nightmares about me…..I really have ruined his life haven't I? I'm so sorry baby." Carla said, a few tears falling-down her cheeks as she rested her head onto Peter's shoulder.

"Hey love. You have nothing to be sorry about." Peter whispered into her ear comfortingly.

* * *

><p>Carla was soon ready and out of the house to go to work with Michelle, which gave Peter time to talk to Simon, deciding to keep him off school today as he claimed not to have slept all that much last-night. He walked-into Simon's room and sat on the edge of his bed, grabbing the TV Remote and turning-it off so that Simon wouldn't be distracted by the game that he was on whilst they chatted.<p>

"Awww Dad I was about to win the game!" Simon said stroppily.

"Yeah well I'm sorry about that son but I need to talk to ya." Peter told Simon calmly, but seriously.

"About what Dad?" Simon asked as he stood-up from the floor and then sat-down next to his Dad on the bed.

"Carla said that you'd been having nightmares….." Peter trailed-off, allowing Simon to speak.

"Yeah I have…..They really scare me Dad!" Simon said, obviously frightened by the thought of them.

"Yeah well that's genuinely what nightmares do pal…..But…..Carla said that you told her that the nightmares were about her…..Is that true?" Peter asked.

"What if it is?" Simon asked.

"Then I'll want to know what's so scary about Carla that you can't sleep at night because of her." Peter told him bluntly.

"And what if it isn't?" Simon questioned.

"Then I'll want to know why you told Carla that they were about her…..And then I'll want to know if you actually were having nightmares in the first-place, or if you were just lying to get attention…..And if you were lying then I'll be taking you to school where you can explain to the Head-master why you were late." Peter told-him, in hope that he would get the truth out of him now.

Simon remained in silence as he thought about how to respond to his Father. "The nightmares bit is true….." Simon paused. "But they weren't about Carla….." He trailed-off.

Peter sighed; he was tired of all of this. "Oh Si what did you go and tell her that for then ey? You've gone and made her feel really bad. I thought you two were making-progress…..It's her birthday next-week, I thought you were gonna be good-mates by the time her party comes-around?" Peter asked his son, frustratedly.

"I hate her Dad! She's not Leanne, and she's definitely not my Mum, but Leanne is! It's Leanne who I love, and it's Leanne who I want to live with!" Simon shouted into his Dad's face.

This broke Peter's heart as his son continued to shout at him. "And I don't care if it's Carla's birthday next-week, I'm inviting Leanne to the party whether you like it or not! Hopefully she'll hit Carla and then she won't have such a pretty-face anymore! WILL SHE? Simon screamed before he then ran into the living-room and cried his little heart-out as he led with his head in his arms on the sofa.

Peter followed Simon into the living-room and watched him cry, almost in floods of tears himself as he rang Carla. He didn't want to trouble Carla, but it was either ring Carla, or get drunk. Carla didn't pick-up, so he decided to text her instead, he would do anything to stop-himself from drinking-again, he wouldn't allow himself too.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Peter: <strong>Can u come back to the flat like…..Now?_

_**Carla: **Will it be worth my while? ;) XxX_

_**Peter: **That's not wat I meant Carla….._

_**Carla: **Oh…..Wassup baby? XxX_

_**Peter: **I've never needed the booze more than I do now. _

_**Carla: **Right. I'll be home as soon as I can darlin. Stay strong 4 me yh? What's happened? XxX _

_**Peter: **Can't tell u over text. C u in a min. _

_**Carla: **K. I love u remember? XxX _

_**Peter: **I love u 2._

* * *

><p>At the Factory, Carla was chatting to Michelle as she told her that she had to go and sort Peter out.<p>

"'Chelle can you hold the fort here for a bit love?" Carla asked her politely.

"HA! As if. Why?" Michelle questioned.

"Please Love? Peter's on the verge of getting himself completely drunk, and if I don't get back there soon, then something awful is gonna happen…..I can just sense-it….."

"Oh right…..Well in that case, just go alright my love? I hope everything's okay!" Michelle called as Carla practically grabbed her handbag and rushed-out of the factory to go and see to Peter.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Please-Review!<strong>_


	18. Chapter 18

_**Sorry for the delay! **_

_**So this fic is gonna come to an end in the next few chapters. – But I am thinking of doing a sequel to it. – You'll see why in the last-chapter!**_

Carla arrived home around 10 Minutes later to Peter stood in the kitchen with a bottle of wine in his hand. Simon had gone into his room by now.

Carla sighed sadly. "Oh Peter. Please don't tell me you've had a sip?" Carla asked calmly as she was close to tears.

"No. Not yet I haven't. But I'm going to because I want to." Peter told her in reply, but it was obvious to Carla that Peter's mind wasn't in the right-place right-now, so she'd just have to do her best to coax him into putting-down the bottle of wine that he was clutching tightly with both of his hands and just staring at it.

"Come-On Baby. You know you don't mean that." Carla suggested to Peter, knowing that she was right, once-again.

"I meant every word Carla. I want a drink. No. I NEED this drink so I'm going to have it. And no-one is gonna stop-me Carla!" Peter said angrily to Carla.

"Peter! Just think about Simon in all of this will you? He's obviously struggling enough as it is at the moment and the last thing he needs is you drinking again!" Carla told Peter, softly but firmly.

"Yeah well maybe he'd be better-off without-me…..He hates me Carla…..He actually hates me." Peter said, drawing the bottle closer and closer to his mouth as he spoke each and every word.

"Oh come-on darlin', that little boy…..He adores ya…..You're his Dad. You're the guy who he looks-up to…..He wants to be just like you Peter, because he loves ya!" Carla tried to convince Peter.

"Really? Who would wanna be like me Carla? Any relationship I have ends in disaster, I'm a stupid alcoholic who has barely any qualifications, no University Degree, and a rubbish Father who's walked-out of my life many times before now." Peter said depressively as the first few tears dropped-down from his eyes and down his cheeks.

Carla approached Peter and gently took a hold of the bottle of wine that Peter had clutched tightly into the palms of his hands. "Peter, forget about all the bad-stuff in your life, just think about it this way right…..You're lovely, you're good-looking, you're running a stable-gambling business…..You've got a beautiful son…..And as for me…..Well I'm your girlfriend…..The one who couldn't love you anymore if I tried too…..I think you're amazing Peter…..And you've got a lot of friends around here who'd agree with me on that one darlin'. And I know life's a bit tough for us all at the moment, but Simon? He'll come-around eventually. I promise you baby." Carla said, finishing with a whisper, as Peter's grip on the bottle of wine slowly became looser and looser, until he released it into Carla's safer-hands.

"Well-Done Sweetheart." Carla told him softly as she put the bottle down on the side, whilst Peter sighed heavily, letting-out all of that pent-up frustration. "Come-Here." Carla suggested before she then hugged Peter tightly.

* * *

><p>At the Rovers Return, Stella was out the back chatting to Leanne. "Leanne can I have a word with ya for a second?" Stella asked politely.<p>

"Yeah sure. What about?" Leanne asked as she sat-down onto the sofa.

"It's Carla's birthday next-week." Stella blurted-out.

"Yeah…..And? What does that matter? She's no interest of mine." Leanne shrugged-it-off, a little-confused by her Mother's random-statement.

"Peter's throwing a party for her…..In the pub….." Stella trailed-off.

"What? And you've accepted? What an earth did you do that for?" Leanne asked furiously.

"Leanne. It would have been unfair of me as the Landlady of this pub to refuse them a booking alright? It could have landed-me in a lot of trouble." Stella told Leanne, trying to calm-her-down a little.

"Well I apologise in advance if I end-up slapping someone alright?" Leanne said blankly.

"Uh you'll be doing no such thing young-lady. Anyway, I was going-to ask you to make yourself scarce for the night. If you don't mind? " Stella asked Leanne calmly.

"Uh ya what? You mean you're kicking-me out of my own-home for the night, just so they can have their little party. Urm, no I don't think so Stella. I'll be staying put thank-you very-much. What Carla says or does is up to her, but if she pushes the limit, then I won't be afraid to rip her flamin' hair out!" Leanne warned Stella angrily, before she then headed-upstairs.

Stella sighed. She didn't agree with what Peter and Carla had done to Leanne at-all, but as-far as she was concerned, they were a proper-couple now and it was time that they all just moved-on and were civil with each-other at the very-least. There was no-need for cat-fights.

* * *

><p>Carla later called Michelle to tell-her that she was going-to stay with Peter for the rest of the day. Simon eventually came-out of his room about an hour-later. He looked-at Carla for a few-seconds before turning to face his Dad.<p>

"What do ya want son?" Peter asked his arm around Carla as he sat on the sofa with her.

"Oh…..It was nothing….." Simon trailed-off.

"Are you sure? Come-on, come and sit on your Dad's lap ey? It's been a while since we last had a cuddle." Peter told his Son gently, and Simon did as he was told and sat on his Dad's lap. "Now what did you want to tell-me son?" Peter-asked.

Simon leaned-over towards his Dad's ear before whispering into it. "I wanted to say sorry for earlier. I'm sorry for saying all of those horrible things about Carla." Simon whispered into his Father's ear.

A small-smile escaped Peter's lips. "Can you tell Carla that mate?" Peter asked Simon quietly.

Simon shook his head shyly. "I don't want to." He told his Dad.

"Well why not?" Peter asked, slightly confused. Simon shrugged his shoulders.

"Alright Pal." Peter sighed, deciding not to argue with him tonight, he had apologised and that was a start. Peter ruffled his son's hair-up before pulling-him in so that Simon's head was resting on his chest.

"I love ya mate." Peter whispered into Simon's ear and Carla smiled as she witnessed the huge amount of love that Peter had for his son.

Carla reached-up towards Peter's ear. "And I love you both." She whispered into his ear before the couple briefly kissed.

"This is progress." Peter smiled as he spoke to Carla and Carla nodded in agreement.

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><p><strong><em>Please-Review!<em>**


	19. Chapter 19

**This will be the last-chapter of 'After the Heartbreak!' However, the sequel to it 'Everybody Hurts' will be coming soon!**

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><p>The day of Carla's birthday had arrived and Peter had woken-up and gotten-ready especially early that morning to ring around all of Carla's friends, reminding them to be at the Rovers for 7:30pm that evening.<p>

Peter, who was perched on the edge of the kitchen counter with his mobile-phone, quickly shoved the guest-list into his pocket as Carla came-into the living-room, and pretended to be texting someone.

"Oh. Morning Love." Peter said to Carla gently as she still looked half-asleep.

"Morning Darlin'." Carla leaned-up towards Peter's face and greeted him with a kiss on the cheek in response. "You're up and about early this morning aren't ya?" She asked-him.

"Yeah…..I had things to do that's all…..Ya know…..Presents to wrap….." Peter told-her with a cheeky-smile plastered right-across his face, from cheek to cheek.

"Ohhh right, and who would those presents be for then? Because it's a bit early to be buying Christmas Presents for Simon sweetheart." Carla joked, knowing that the presents which were currently accessorising the sofa were all for her.

"Hey Shh. You know that they are all for you." Peter said as he hopped-off of the edge of the kitchen counter and led Carla over to the sofa.

"Oh Peter you shouldn't have!" Carla told Peter happily. "Having you by my side all day long is a big-enough birthday-present for me." She told-him sweetly as she rested her hands against his shoulders.

"Yeah well I wanted to treat-you. Things haven't been easy for us, and especially you ever-since we got together, so I thought that you deserved to be treated." Peter told Carla softly as he wrapped his hands around her waist and then leaned-in for a kiss on the lips.

"Well thank-you." Carla said, slowly stroking Peter's cheek before she then excitedly began to open all of her presents. There were a few bits of jewellery from Maria and Michelle, and the factory girls had all pulled-together to buy Carla a beautiful bunch of flowers. There was also a card from Rob, Carla's brother, which read:…..

_Hey Sis, _

_Hope you're good and I hope you get this card. I didn't know your address; I just heard that you worked at a factory on Coronation Street.. So I sent it there and hoped for the best._

_Hows life? _

_Happy Birthday by the way. _

_Rob._

"What's up love?" Peter asked, noticing a confused-look upon Carla's face.

"Oh…..Nothing darlin'…..It's just that I've just got a card from one of my brothers…..Rob…..The last-time I got a card from him was on my 16th Birthday?" Carla told Peter, still confused by his card.

"Oh. Well it's nice that he's finally remembered again isn't it ey? If he's anything like me then he'll have just forgotten…..I was lucky…..My Sister was my twin….." Peter chuckled. "And even then I struggled to remember that it was her birthday too…..But then again I always was a self-centred teenager….." He trailed-off, he hadn't known that Carla had brothers, and Peter wondered why Carla had never mentioned them before-now.

Carla laughed. "Yeah I suppose so." She said before opening her last two presents. One from Simon, and another one from Peter. Simon had got her a framed picture of him and Peter along with a smaller-unframed one of the same-picture with a message attached to it.

"_Happy Birfday Carla. The one that ent framed is for you to keep in your purse. If you are gonna be my step-Mum, then you have to keep a picture of Me and Dad in your purse. Leanne always did. Simon. X" _

Carla smiled sweetly at Simon's message. Was he finally accepting that she was with Peter now, and not Leanne? And that-that wasn't going to change anytime in the near-future?

"Awww, I'll give him a hug when he gets-up." Carla said sweetly and Peter smiled as he read the message that Simon had left Carla with the picture. '_There really is some good progress being made-here.' _– Peter thought to himself as Carla opened her present from him.

Peter had bought her a beautiful black dress. "Peter! It's GORGEOUS!" She screeched excitedly as she practically jumped on Peter and hugged him tightly.

"Thank-You so much." She said as she released Peter from the tight-hug.

"Well I'm glad that you like-it. Because you'll be wearing it tonight when we go-out for your birthday meal. Just You and Me, Simon is staying at Me Dad's and Deirdre's for the evening.

"Oh Peter Barlow. You really do know how to spoil a woman don't ya?" Carla told him sweetly before grabbing his shirt to pull-him-in closer and then kissed-him passionately on the lips.

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><p>That evening, Peter had dropped Simon off at Ken and Deirdre's, he had planned to meet the three of them there, along with everyone else invited to the party as soon as Carla was ready and had been convinced to 'go for a drink in the Rovers' before they headed-out.<p>

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><p>"Car, are you almost ready love?" Peter called from the living-room as he did the buttons of his suit-shirt up, leaving two un-done at the top, before he then pulled his suit-jacket over the top.<p>

"Almost!" She called back before then entered, holding the necklace that Peter had bought her at Christmas in her hands. "I can't put this on by myself with this dress on." She moaned.

"Well come-here then." Peter suggested, taking the necklace from Carla, before she then turned-around and allowed Peter to put-it on for her, just like he had done at Christmas, kissing the side of her neck as he did-so.

"There you go." Peter told her happily before she then turned-back-around to face-him. "You look beautiful." He whispered to her sweetly.

"Yeah, well only because I have a gorgeous man stood by my side." She told him, returning the compliment as her reply.

Peter smiled at her. "Listen Love, I was thinking, shall we go to the Rovers before we head out tonight?" Peter asked, knowing that secretly, they were going to be spending most of the night in the Rovers whether Carla said Yes to a drink there or not.

"Urm, Peter. Darling. I'm a bit over-dressed for an average-night in the Rovers don't ya think?" She asked him with a cute-giggle.

"And? I want to show everyone how beautiful you look tonight." Peter replied sweetly, and Carla sighed.

"Oh Peter Barlow you're such a charmer aren't you?" She asked-him.

"Well I try my best….." He trailed-off as thye headed-out of the flat and down the stairs together and shut the front-door behind them as they headed-over to the Rovers for 'a drink.'

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><p>Peter and Carla had soon arrived at the Rovers, and walked-into a dark-room.<p>

After a couple of seconds, the lights flickered-on and everyone leaped-out of their hiding-places.

"SURPRISE!" They all shouted. Michelle, Maria, all of the factory girls and their partners, plus anyone else who happened to be in the pub at that time.

The surprise made Carla jump as she turned-around to face Peter. "Oh Peter…..You….." Carla laughed as she playfully hit Peter across the arm with her handbag. "I knew you were up to something this morning when I came-in!" Carla said, still in shock before she then kissed Peter on the cheek. "Thank-You." She whispered to him before she moved amongst the crowds and began to mingle as she made her way over to the bar.

"Did you like my present Carla?" Simon asked as he ran-over to her.

Carla crouched-down to Simon's level and smiled-widely at him. "I loved-it. Thank-You very-much Simon! And Look!" Carla suggested as she retrieved her purse from her handbag and then showed Simon the picture of him and Peter which she had placed-inside the little-window especially for Simon.

"Awww you did what I said! YAY! Thank-You!" Simon said excitedly as he hugged Carla and then ran-off to play with Amy and all of the other-kids.

When Carla stood-back-up again, Leanne was stood-behind the bar. "Well if it isn't the birthday girl?" Leanne said, unamused by the sight of Carla's face right-infront of her.

Leanne harshly placed a large glass of wine infront of Carla, secretly hoping that she'd drink it and then get herself completely drunk, just so it would upset Peter.

"Happy flamin' Birthday Carla. Go-on…..Why don't you have a drink…..Or three…..To celebrate?" Leanne suggested nastily. "We'll see if Peter still loves-ya once you're totally off your face shall-we?" She continued.

"I'm not gonna drink it Leanne, so you might aswell go and pour it down the sink or drink-it yourself." Carla replied loudly, and with that, a tall and handsome man approached them both.

"Is everything alright here Ladies?" The guy asked as he stood-closely next to Carla.

"Carla?" Peter called as he approached-her from behind, having spotted her little-argument with Leanne. "Are you okay love?" Peter asked, standing-closely behind her and resting his hands on her waist as he peered-over her shoulder. Carla looked like she was in shock.

"Everything's Fine Peter." Carla replied as she stared at the tall-guy stood next to her.

"No it's not. Come-On. Tell-me what's up?" Peter pushed for an answer.

"Urm…..Peter…..This guy here…..His name's Rob…..Rob Donovan…..My Brother….." Carla trailed-off as a small but un-sure smile grew across her face.

"Alright Sis?" Rob replied. "Hiya Peter." He said, shaking Peter's hand as Carla tried to calm-herself down slightly. Leanne just watched-on in shock at the events un-folding directly infront of her. Carla had a brother?

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><p><em><strong>Right, so that is the end of 'After The Heartbreak!' I hope that you've enjoyed reading it! And please review! But also, read the sequel 'Everybody Hurts.'<strong>_

_**Coming-Up in 'Everybody Hurts:' – **Rob has been on the Street for around 3 Months now, and Ryan Connor arrived back from University a couple of weeks back. _

_One Injury. One Bad Boy. And One new shocking relationship blossoming._

_But which characters go with which one?_

_Read to find out! _


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